The Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs
Mission
Statement
THE
mission of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs is to
bring scientific insight and reason to bear on threats to human security
arising from science and technology in general, and above all from the
catastrophic threat posed to humanity by nuclear and other weapons of
mass destruction. It was in recognition of this mission that Pugwash
and its co-founder, Sir Joseph Rotblat, were awarded the 1995 Nobel
Peace Prize.
Through meetings and projects that bring together scientists, scholars
and individuals experienced in government, diplomacy and the military,
Pugwash focuses on those problems that lie at the intersection of science
and world affairs. In addition to seeking the elimination of all weapons
of mass destruction, Pugwash objectives also include the reduction and
strict control of conventional weaponry and the elimination of war and
other forms of armed conflict. The Pugwash agenda also extends to ways
of alleviating the conditions of economic deprivation, environmental
deterioration and resource scarcity and unequal access, which are deplorable
in themselves and which give rise to resentment, hostility and violence
throughout the world.
These objectives of Pugwash are pursued through debate, discussion and
collaborative analysis in an atmosphere of candor and mutual respect,
at annual conferences, in specialized workshops and study groups, and
through special projects carried out by small teams or individuals on
well-defined topics. The resulting ideas and proposals are communicated
to decision-makers and the general public through Pugwash publications,
open letters to heads of government from the Pugwash leadership, press
conferences, and – above all – from the personal interactions
of individual Pugwash participants with political leaders and opinion
makers.
Drawing its inspiration from the Russell-Einstein
Manifesto of 1955, which called upon leaders of the world to
renounce nuclear weapons and “remember their humanity,” Pugwash
above all is an expression of the social and moral duty of scientists
to promote the beneficial applications of their work and prevent their
misuse, to anticipate and evaluate the possible unintended consequences
of scientific and technological developments, and to promote debate
and reflection on the ethical obligations of scientists in taking responsibility
for their work.
Forty-five years after its first meeting in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, the
pace of scientific and technological developments in the early 21st
century, and the security challenges facing the international community,
combine to make the Pugwash mission and objectives as relevant as ever.
[14 August 2002]
