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Tribute
from the Pugwash Secretary General | Pugwash
Council Statement | From
Polish Pugwash Group
UK
Tribute to Jo Rotblat Joseph
Rotblat lived a long life that spanned almost a century, a life
of thought and action. He devoted several decades of it to advocating
the abolition of nuclear weapons. As a scientist who participated
in the initial stages of their development he was ahead of many
in seeing a threat to the very existence of humankind. Therefore
he became one of the founders of the Pugwash movement of scientists
for peace. I greatly valued my close rapport and friendship with
Joseph Rotblat. Over the past few years, we met many times at the
Forum of Nobel Peace Laureates and the World Political Forum. One
could not help admiring this man of indomitable energy, moral integrity
and high culture. Yet the most important thing about him was that
even in very old age his mind remained crystal clear and his convictions
firm. In a changed world facing new challenges, he addressed the
people, ordinary citizens as well as world leaders, with an urgent
appeal to rid the world of nuclear weapons, for in the final analysis
this is the only way to a secure existence for future generations.
Expressing my condolences for the passing of this remarkable man,
I pay tribute to his long and eventful life, dedicated to serving
the people, a life that is truly an inspiring example to all of
us. Annan regrets death of Nobel Peace Laureate and disarmament advocate Joseph Rotblat 2 September 2005 – United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today expressed sadness at the death of Joseph Rotblat, the 1995 Nobel Peace Laureate who was a founder of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs calling on scientists to accept responsibility for the consequences of their creations. “The Secretary-General was saddened to learn of the death of Joseph Rotblat, the scientist, veteran disarmament campaigner and Nobel Peace Laureate,” Mr. Annan said through his Spokesman. “In a long life, Mr. Rotblat went from working on the nuclear bomb to founding the Pugwash conference, and continued for the rest of his days to champion the principle of scientists taking responsibility for their inventions. He leaves a legacy of inspiration and courage to his many friends and colleagues around the world,” he said. Mr. Rotblat, born in Poland in 1908, was living in Britain when he won the Nobel Peace Prize. He was one of 11 scientists who founded the Pugwash Conferences, based on a 1955 manifesto put out by British philosopher Bertrand Russell and American scientist Albert Einstein, and he became the institution's major figure. We -- and the whole
world -- have lost a towering figure in the struggle for peace.
Joseph Rotblat was one of a kind: brilliant, eloquent, tireless,
demanding, impatient, completely committed to the pursuit of a
saner, safer world for all of its inhabitants. He was the inspiration
for everything I did in Pugwash from the day he met my plane on
my arrival at my first Pugwash Conference, in the summer of 1973,
when I was 29 and he 64. To me, and I think to all of us in Pugwash,
he was a mentor, an example of selfless dedication and single-minded
commitment that none of us could match, and a friend. Our consolations
in his passing are that he lived long and accomplished much, and
indeed that he lived long enough to enjoy the major formal recognitions
that came to him so late in life, so long overdue: the Nobel Peace
Prize, election to the Royal Society, a knighthood. Our shame
is that is we did not succeed in presenting him, before he died,
with the gift he most desired -- a global prohibition of nuclear
weapons. The greatest tribute we can pay to his memory is to push
forward with increased determination now towards this end. Letter
sent on September 5, 2005 by fax to Lord May of Oxford, President
of the Royal Society: Prof.
M.S. Swaminathan, President, Pugwash Conferences on Science and
World Affairs, At the
time when it mattered most, many Manhattan Project scientists --
some who in later years became icons for peace -- were engaged in
delicately balancing their consciences against their careers. But
Joseph Rotblatt did exactly what was right and moral. No equivocation,
no this-or-that. He simply quit. Nukes are evil and immoral. What
a marvelous example for everyone, particularly scientists, in a
world where moral obfuscation is so fashionably common. Jo, you
are missed by your many admirers and friends around the globe. Pugwash
has lost its strongest voice. From my Pakistani colleagues and myself:
Adieu. Members
of the German Pugwash Group are deeply saddened to learn that Sir
Joseph Rotblat passed away. We wish to express our most sincere
condolences to his family and his friends. We have lost an outstanding
scientist, a great humanist, a towering figure in the struggle for
peace and a very dear friend. Joseph was the only scientist to leave
the Manhattan Project when it was clear that the Nazis were defeated.
In his work for Pugwash he helped organized to bring together scientists,
diplomats and politicians from East and West, North and South to
overcome mental stalemates, ideological aberrance and dangerous
confrontations. He helped to understand the scientists´ responsibility
to use scientific knowledge and new advances for the benefit of
humanity, especially to young scientists. He devoted his life to
achieve the goal to abolish nuclear weapons as well as to end war
as an human institution. In admiration for his unwavering integrity
and in deep gratitude for his long guidance and escort on our continuing
laborious march towards a more peaceful world we have to push forward
with patience and determination to reach his goal, the global prohibition
of nuclear weapons. We know, he still will accompany us and give
us the courage not to despair. I am very
sad about Sir Joseph Rotblat's death . He will be long remembered
for his dedication and efforts to liberate the world from the dangers
of nuclear weapons and NPT. I am sure all Pugwashites mourn him
in their prayers and thoughts . He definitely left a vacuum that
it will be very hard to fill. Soon after
my arrival from abroad last night, I found the message with the
sad news of the passing away of Jo Rotblat, who by his courageous
actions and untiring struggle to the end of his life became a true
paradigm for socially responsible scientists, and a consistent and
intelligent fighter for nuclear disarmament and peace among nations.
I very much regret that the delicate state of his health prevented
him from accepting our invitation to participate in a forthcoming
workshop on the social responsibility of scientists and the Russell-Einstein
Manifesto, 50 years after. We even planned to ask him to address
these and any other topics he liked through one of our national
TV channels. Still, I like to think of him as a permanent inspiration
not only for Pugwashites but generally for those that believe that
a better world is not only possible but necessary. Joseph
Rotblat inspired and encouraged all who interacted with him. We
observed with awe his energetic devotion to his cause, even in his
nineties. In Canada, we particularly remember his compelling public
lecture at the 53rd Pugwash Conference in Halifax, and his willing
response to requests to meet the press time after time. His absence
will be deeply felt, as a great and sad gap, on those many occasions
where he met with the Pugwash community. In remembrance of this
great man, the best tribute we can make is to vigourously continue
his efforts to move forward on nuclear disarmament and ultimately
to achieve nuclear weapons abolition. As evidenced
by the tremendous outpouring of touching tributes on the Pugwash
Forum listserve, Jo is touching many lives in his passing just as
he did in his living. Sir Joseph was an inspiration and a model
for generations of scientists. He will be very sorely missed in
Pugwash and his physical absence at future conferences will leave
an irreplaceable gap. But we can take comfort knowing that his spirit
and his message will be with us. His aspiration for a nuclear-free
world, the abolition of war and the use of science for peace will
motivate us to continue the work to which he devoted his life. Even
after his passing, he is now bringing Pugwashites together through
this collective sharing and remembrance. Our tributes are a collective
bouquet that we can offer to him in gratitude for a life of service.
For all
men and women who wish to eliminate the absurd menace of nuclear
weapons Prof. Joseph Rotblat was a beacon who devoted his privileged
knowledge, intelligence and ethics towards the ultimate cause of
World Peace. I hope that the sorrow left behind by his absence will
translate into renewed efforts to eliminate the nuclear threat forever.
In the name of the Government of the Argentine Republic I reconfirm
to all members of the Pugwash Group the commitment of my country
to the ideals represented by Professor Joseph Rotblat. Without
Jo we, all who had the extraordinary privilege of meeting him, listening
to him and talking to him are like orphans, deprived of a dearest
friend, a mentor for any aspect of our life (civil, moral, intellectual,
scientific), a unique person. Pugwashites as well as all women and
men of the world who love peace will always remember him. And we
all have to be firmly committed to remember our and his humanity. I was fortunate to spend time with Prof. Rotblat twice and talk with him on other occasions. The time that we shared as well as his life's work and humanity will stay with me for the rest of my life and continue to inspire me. Here is paraphrased letter I sent to Prof. Rotblat in July that summarizes how I feel: Dear Professor
Rotblat, I am writing to wish you a happy 50th anniversary of the
Russell-Einstein manifesto. It is such an exciting occasion. And
congratulations on a lifetime of activism and idealism - you have
been very inspirational to me and others. I'm pleased to report
that our new chapter at Queen's University Belfast is going well.
We've held many events in our first year including reading and discussing
your book War No More. Without a doubt our highlight was
your visit and lecture here last October. It really energized our
fledgling group. People here still talk about it. Pugwash has had
a big impact on my life. Dealing with these issues of I was deeply
saddened to hear of the death of Professor Rotblat. He was an honourable
and principled man who never once doubted that the aims of Pugwash
could be achieved. I had the pleasure of meeting him recently in
Seoul, where we spent some time taking photographs together. At
this time of continuing conflict in the Middle East and elsewhere,
it is important to remember the latter part of the Nobel Prize citation
to Professor Rotblat and Pugwash, concerning the ultimate vision
to achieve a world free from war, by solving international disputes
in peaceful ways. As members of Pugwash, we must all continue to
believe in this vision, and make it our responsibility to carry
on his legacy and spread the message. Increasing our efforts to
achieve a future free from the threat of war would be the finest
tribute that we could pay to Professor Rotblat. Slovak
Pugwash group got with deep sorrow the news that Prof. Joseph Rotblat
died. It is a great loss for world scientific community. We will
remember his work and life. We are
in deep grief to learn that Prof. Joseph Rotblat passed away on
31 August 2005. He made lifetime dedication to the abolition of
nuclear weapons and a peaceful future of humanity. His death is
a great loss to the whole world. Prof. Rotblat left the Manhattan
Project as soon as he got aware that the development of atomic bombs
was no longer to deter the Germans from using their own weapons.
Since the Russell-Einstein Manifesto was declared 50 years ago,
he as a first singer took the lead in the Pugwash Conferences on
Science and World Affairs in pursuit of its spirit. He often visited
Japan to help Japanese scientists to fulfill their social responsibility
in making known to the world the damage and effects of the atomic
bombings. In particular, he made categorically clear that achieving
a world without nuclear weapons and without war is not a mere dream
but a feasible goal. It gave strong support and great encouragement
to the Japanese anti-A and H-bomb movement. We make a fresh determination
to devote ourselves to creating a world free of nuclear weapons
and war. His noble ideal remains with us forever. Please
allow me to offer my sincere condolences on the loss of Sir Rotblat.
I had been looking forward to meeting Sir Rotblat in Hiroshima in
July and I thought that he would continue to lead a long happy and
healthy life. Sir Rotblat's achievements as a scholar were outstanding
and his presence in the world community will be greatly missed.
I will remember him fondly for his friendliness and pray for his
soul. I am addressing
this letter of condolence to the Pugwash community which, to me
is the family of Jo Rotblat. He is indeed the father of Pugwash
and we all owe him a lot. It is more than 25 years ago that I first
met Jo in my first Pugwash meeting and to me he has always been
the same compassionate and determined person who stood very firm
and was very eloquent in putting forward the message of Pugwash,
the message of peace and a war -free world, a world free of weapons
and of weapons of mass destruction. We need his spirit to stay with
us and keep us going in this direction. On behalf of the Palestinian
National Pugwash group I share with you all our deep grief and great
loss of our mentor and dear friend Jo. I hope all of us will remain
true to his spirit and this is the best remembrance of a great man. We'll always
remember Jo Rotblat's contribution to humanity. What a great friend.
What a legacy. Things have a terrible permanence when great people
like Jo die. Although
I met Jo only in the last few years of his life, he was a source
of admiration and enormous respect for me. An extraordinary human
being, he has left behind a legacy of both values and people that
serve as an inspiration for many. His presence, his wisdom, and
his courage will be missed. It was
with utmost sadness that we, the members of Pugwash Japan, learned
of Sir Joseph Rotblat's passing. Ever since three Japanese scientists
attended the first Pugwash Conference forty-eight years ago, Jo
offered us inspiration and encouragement all the time and was a
true friend of ours. We shall always keep fond memories of our association
with Jo, and pledge to strive towards a nuclear-weapon-free and
war-free world, all the more because we remember that one of Jo's
messages he left us with was how important it is to uphold the "peace
clauses" of the Constitution of Japan. It is with
great sadness that I read your message about Sir Joseph Rotblat's
death. The World Peace movement has lost a major icon, and Humanity
will forever miss such an exceptional scientist and human being.
Rotblat's thoughts and teachings about the social responsibility
of scientists, the way in which such responsibilities in their research
ought to be translated into their ethical decisions, must always
remain a central issue in the Pugwash movement if we are to truly
honor his memory. Personally, I will never forget my conversations
with Rotblat in July 2003 in Halifax. I was impressed by his clear
perception of the dangers arising from counter-terrorist official
US policies, measures and rules, wrapped up in an atmosphere of
secrecy and panic. He clearly foresaw the negative impact on scientific
research in developing countries of many security procedures allegedly
designed to prevent terrorist threats coming from the South. We
will miss his presence in the coming celebrations we will have shortly
in Havana on the 55th anniversary of the Einstein - Russell Manifesto
of which Rotblat was one of the eleven subscribers. On behalf of
the World Peace Council, the Cuban Peace Movement and my own self,
please convey to the Pugwash Community, as well as to Joseph Rotblat's
family and closest collaborators and friends, our deep sorrow for
such a sad and irreparable event. En tant
que Secrétaire général, je te prie d'accepter
et de transmettre aux membres du Council mes condoléances
attristées pour le décès du Professeur Rotblat,
Sir Joseph. C'était un homme remarquable à beaucoup
de points de vue, d'une grande intelligence, d'une grande humanité
et, fait rare à notre époque, d'une conviction totale
dans ce qu'il croyait être indispensable au développement,
voire à la survie de l'humanité. Cette profonde conviction
ne l'entraînait jamais à une attitude sectaire mais,
au contraire à l'écoute d'autres points de vue et
au dialogue ouvert, ranc et poli à la fois.Crois bien que
j'avais énormément de respect pour Jo Rotblat et que
j'ai de la peine à sa disparition. Just a
few words to express my deep sadness concerning the loss of a unique
personality with three features seldom to exist in one person: Beautiful
mind, heat, and soul. I have first met him in London with my father
when I was still at school time, but at that young age I could remark
how unique he was. I was wishing to see him in Cairo next year,
sadly not all of our wishes come true. Our condolence is that we
might have lost and will miss a valuable person, but we still have
the beautiful soul to encourage us to continue. Further, the impact
of his knowledge and moral on the younger generations will never
die. It was
really very sad to hear the news that Sir Jo Rotblat died. I never
meet him before but his legend and his life inspired me a lot to
take steps in my life to be more firm, brave, to consider our responsibility
towards our world. Unfortunately, he will not be there in Cairo
2006 but he will remain our God-father who will lead the other Pugwashites
to accomplish what he already started by founding the Pugwash movement.
Sir Jo, Your legend and life will remain our bible in the future
and we will remain faithful to accomplish your mission, They said
Jo Rotblat died, but is it possible that the life and soul of Pugwash
die? Rotblat has been the leading soul of our movement and I am
sure that his noble and pure soul will remain with us to continue
his role as a sustainer of Pugwash ideas with vigor and courage
he used to inspire us. Rotblat will remain forever as a symbol,
not only for the principle of Pugwash, but also for peace and justice
in the world. Finally, can we ever mention 'Nuclear Weapons Free
World' without remembering Rotblat? Personally I lost a dear and
sincere generous friend. We are
very saddened at the immense loss to Pugwash and the World Peace
Movement by the death of Jo Rotblat, a most remarkable and wonderful
person in everyway. I was 15
when I met Dr. Rotblat: at the 1959 Conference on the Dangers of
Biological and Chemical Warfare. Gianni Brenciaglia and I ran the
tape recorder, keeping careful track of who started and stopped
speaking, so that the tapes could later be transcribed. I didn't
know enough at the time to be petrified at what I was hearing, but
Dr. Rotblat did-- and yet it never took the spring out of his step,
nor kept that eager, hopeful smile off his face. His was the same
energy as that of my stepfather Cyrus Eaton-- the energy that comes
from knowing you are doing the right thing. We met again in 1997
in Pugwash, at the anniversary conference, which addressed not only
nuclear dangers, but also the tension between the world's "North
and South" countries which was beginning to eclipse the old
East/West division. So Sir Joseph had even less to be smiling and
energetic about. But as I walked with him up to the gentle hill
to the school to attend an afternoon session, his thoughts were
on the future, and of all the good that "we" could do,
and the high school senior who would receive the first Rotblat Scholarship
; and I had to trot to keep up with him. With the
passing away of Joe Rotblat mankind has lost one of its most brilliant,
strong and kind fighters for peace and for a future for our species.
His deep commitment and perseverance has been to many generations
of us an example to follow. It is very sad he is not physically
here anymore. Joe will live now in a different way: through Pugwash
and through the aims he dedicated his life, but also deep in the
hearts and minds of the ones we had the precious opportunity to
somehow accompany him. I send
to you my most sincere condolences on the passing of Professor Sir
Joseph Rotblat FRS. He was a great influence for good during a time
of extraordinary need for such influence. That need still exists,
and I hope that the Pugwash Conferences are increasingly successful.
Sir Joseph was a great friend of my father's. He was also a friend
of mine, although my contact is very recent. I was honored by Sir
Joseph's agreement to be a member of the Select Advisory Committee
of the Linus Pauling Centennial Award, founded by me in 2001 to
commemorate the centennial of my father's birth, and greatly honored
to present the 2002 Award to Sir Joseph himself in June, 2003, in
Geneva, Switzerland. With great sorrow, but with hope that Sir Joseph's
influence will continue to enlighten the peoples of the world. The International
Federation for Peace and Conciliation with deep sorrow got the news
that Sir Joseph Rotblat died. He was an outstanding scientist and
great humanist. Sir Rotblat took a key role in developing of scientific
and public contact between West and East. He was really legend figure
both for scientific and public society. All members of the International
Federation for Peace and Conciliation share with all of you deep
grief. I was privileged
to meet Jo Rotblat after spending more than 11 years in Saddam's
prison for refusing to work on his nuclear weapon programme. He
symbolised humanity's reach for peace and respect for life. We immediately
realised that we shared a total commitment to the same ideals, although
we came from very different backgrounds. He asked me, given my experience,
what he could do to help scientists behind bars who share our values
and commitment. My response was 'Your towering profile is an inspiration
and source of comfort for them.' I am deeply saddened for his loss,
not least for the sake of the scientists behind bars. We have
lost a great icon. Joseph Rotblat has been providing a beacon to
those who aspire for nuclear disarmament. It is a great loss to
all of us and to the cause of nuclear elimination. We are
deeply grieved to hear of the sad demise of Prof. Rotblat. On behalf
of Pugwash Pakistan and my own behalf, please convey our heartfelt
condolences to his family and friends. Prof. Rotblat will, however,
continue to inspire Pugwash and all those who are committed to the
elimination of nuclear weapons and aspire for a peaceful world. On behalf
of the Norwegian Pugwash committee I strongly regret the death of
our great hero, Joseph Rotblat. Especially, we remember with great
happiness his various contributions during the Nobel Peace Price
celebrations here in Oslo in 1995 and during the Lillehammer conference
in 1997. No one can live forever, not even Jo. However, at the end
of the day he will turn out immortal and a great inspiration for
everyone fighting for nuclear disarmament. With the
passing of Joseph Rotblat, the world has lost one the greatest men
of the modern age. What a
loss! Jo epitomized the civilized human, a person who dedicated
his life – often at great risk - to humanity's well-being,
peace being among the cardinal attributes of that desired condition
and the elimination of the threat of nuclear arms the symbolic and
real pre-condition. It was a great privilege to have had him as
a friend. We shall always cherish the memory of our association
with him - and, of course, with his legacy to humanity, Pugwash. "Prof"
generously dedicated his time and energy to help students understand
science's responsibility to use new advances and technologies for
the benefit of humanity. He was instrumental in the founding and
success of Student Pugwash USA, and he appreciated the curiosity
and fresh perspectives that young people bring to these weighty
discussions. His energy, wisdom, and unwavering support will be
deeply missed. Physicians
for Social Responsibility (PSR) mourns the death of Professor Sir
Joseph Rotblat on August 31, in London, UK at the age of 96. Professor
Rotblat, a 1995 Nobel Peace Laureate, and one of the first nuclear
weapons opponents, was the only scientist to quit the Manhattan
Project for moral reasons, when he learned from that Adolf Hitler
and Germany were not developing a nuclear weapon. From that point
on, he turned his immense talents and energy to nuclear medicine
and a life-long campaign against nuclear weapons and war. Professor
Rotblat collaborated closely with PSR over many years, contributing
to projects such as Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear War: A Source Book
for Health Professionals (1984) and The Final Epidemic (1981), a
book describing the likely medical consequences of nuclear war;
and was a key participant in PSR's Manhattan Project II, a disarmament
initiative led by Daniel Ellsberg in the early 1990s. Rotblat also
appeared at a joint PSR and International Physicians for the Prevention
of Nuclear War (IPPNW) conference in 2002, and at a PSR conference
to oppose the development of a new generation of nuclear weapons
by the Bush administration in 2003. I met with
Jo for the first time in San Diego during the Pugwash annual conference
in 2002. Since that time, I have been fascinated by his kind personality
and his strong ability to stand firm behind his beliefs and ideals.
He was always able to bring smiles, peace, comfort and wisdom to
the faces of his audience. I think that Jo's message is much broader
than just the elimination of nuclear weapons… it goes wider
to the horizon of the complete elimination of war. The last time
I talked to him was in Seoul 2004 during the Pugwash annual conference.
I asked him to promise to be with us in Cairo in the annual conference
of 2006. He smiled and promised to come. I think he will be with
us always. Members
of the Russian Pugwash Committee very sad to hear that Sir Joseph
Rotblat has passed away. He was a great scientist and humanist,
and also a friend of Soviet and Russian Pugwashites. We will remember
him. He will be greatly missed. We are deeply saddened
to learn that prof. Ratblat has passed away and wish to express
our most sincere condolences. We have great respect for him. He
is a man of great integrity and inspiration. The best way to learn
from him, to remember him is to carry forward his spirit, his
cause with most conscientious and relentless efforts to fight
for a nuclear weapon-free world. The Swiss
Pugwash group (Association Suisse de Pugwash) deeply deplores the
death of our honorary President Professor Joseph Rotblat. We all
have lost a friend. It will now be our imperative duty to perpetuate
the fight for peace and against all kinds of mass destruction Joseph
Rotblat unrelentingly dedicated his long life to the elimination
of nuclear weapons. He rightly fought more for the elimination of
nuclear weapons than for non-proliferation. He had the rare talent
of bringing together in Pugwash both those who contributed to the
development of nuclear weapons and those who opposed them. He gave
Pugwash a ‘raison d’etre’ which Pugwash might
have been more advised to adhere to. He was intransigent in his
aims and polite in his manner. Uncompromising in his endeavour to
eliminate nuclear weapons, he respected his opponents and spared
no effort to involve them in discussion. Joseph Rotbat made no claims
to solve all the world problems, and he never needed to refer to
moral principles. He did far more than most in keeping us aware
of one of the menace which the existence of nuclear arms maintains
on this planet. As much as during his lifetime he will continue
to inspire courage to those who had the privilege of knowing him.
We have
really lost a great leader and friend. I think that Jo was an absolutely
unique person. Besides his intellectual brilliance and his exceptional
physical vigor, he had a perfect combination of optimism, realism
and idealism. Amazingly, his speeches and his writing became It is a great loss. We - in Croatian Pugwash and I particular - will always remember Jo. He was an extraordinary person - inspiring leader, so friendly, such a brilliant intellectual and so creative. It was an enormous privilege to know him and work under his guidance. Jo will always be a role model, a unique person. We will always honor him and I will personally try to follow the way he showed us. Ivo Slaus, Crotian Pugwash With Prof.
Rotblat's passing away, the world seems to be a poorer and sadder
place. However, we must continue the work to which he selflessly
devoted himself. When I
stopped by to see Jo at his office, in 2002, I asked him, "What's
the secret to your longevity?" (he was only 94 then!). He grinned
and said, "It's a secret!" Then he laughed, and added:
"It's having something to live for." In his case, stopping
or slowing the mad nuclear arms race. He was a sweet and feisty
fellow who made the world a saner and safer place. I am very
sad to hear that Professor Joseph Rotblat has passed away and I
wish to express my most sincere condolences as an atomic bomb survivor
and a Japanese physicist. I am deeply saddened for his loss for
peaceful future human being, not least for the sake of nuclear disarmament. I am sad
to hear that Professor Joseph Rotblat has passed away. I would like
to express my sincere condolensces as a medical school professor
in Hiroshima as well as a Vice Chairman of IPPNW representing North
Asia Region. I remember the 1995 Pugwash Conference in Hiroshima
in which I worked as a staff member responsible for medical affairs.
I was among the young participants when Professor Rotblat met with
us to hear everyone's action plan toward a nuclear weapon-free peaceful
world. I was deeply impressed by his sincere encouraging attitude
to young scientists. The warmth of his hand is brought back to my
hand with his enthusiasm toward world peace. Do not
stand at my grave and weep, I am a
thousand winds that blow; When you
awake in the morning hush, Do not
stand at my grave and cry. Katsuko Kataoka, M. D., Ph. D., Vice President, IPPNW Please
allow me to offer my sincere condolences on the loss of Sir Rotblat.
I had been looking forward to meeting Sir Rotblat in Hiroshima in
July and I thought that he would continue to lead a long happy and
healthy life. Sir Rotblat’s achievements as a scholar were
outstanding and his presence in the world community will be greatly
missed. I will remember him fondly for his friendliness and pray
for his soul. The Italian
USPID (Union of Scientists for Disarmament) deeply regrets the death
of Prof. Joseph Rotblat, honorary President of Pugwash. We are saddened
by this loss as peace lovers, as scientists and as human beings
engaged in the long, difficult fight against war, fear, violence
What else
can one say about this great man? While expressing our deepest sadness
and grief, we manifest our hope and conviction that his legacy will
continue to be an asset of the world. It is a
pity that I received the news of the passing away of Joseph Rotblat
as I was out of the country. The loss of Sir Joseph is an unbearable
one to those who knew him. I knew about him almost fifty years ago
when I was a student of Nuclear Physics in my University days. Later
I interacted with him at a number of Pugwash conferences. His bold
stand on global issues impressed the citizens of the world. Sir
Joseph Rotblat was not merely a leader of Pugwash. He was an Institution
by himself. Today when the world is at new cross roads, we would
indeed be missing him very much. Thank Heavens that Jo was not only
an architect but also a mason of Pugwash and laid a strong foundation
for Pugwash. It is up to us Pugwashites to build newer edifices
on this foundation so that peace lovers of the world remember Jo
and his dear Pugwash till the last day. I wish we can become inheritors
of his bursting energy, courage and wisdom in making our only planet
a peaceful one. May God rest his soul in eternal peace and tranquility. The Executive
Committee and all members of the Indian Pugwash Society,New Delhi
deeply mourned the death of Prof. Sir Joseph Rotblat, Fellow of
Royal Society and Nobel Peace Prize Winner. He was a great scientist
who was devoted to the ideals of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto
and spent his life time in advocating the abolition of nuclear weapons.
A great believer in advocating that scientists, even more than others,
must remember their humanity, in real life he had showed that it
was possible and positively productive to promote ethical moral
values along with realism that science focuses on. He became one
of the founding members of the Pugwash movement of scientists for
peace throughout the world. Over the decades Joe had become the
guiding beacon for the Pugwash movement and its successes. He was
a living legend for peace movement and inspired the entire Pugwash
community, both young and old.. His immense contribution and work
will continue to inspire and guide all of us for all times. His
demise is a great loss to humanity. On behalf of the Indian Pugwash
Society please accept our condolences on the death of Prof. Sir
Joseph Rotblat. I've just
heard from Fredrik Heffermehl that Joseph Rotblat has passed away.
Please accept my heartfelt condolences. I was instrumental in organizing
the conference in Tel Aviv in 1996, which he chaired, and we spent
a good deal of time together on his visit.Joseph Rotblat was one
of the finest people I had ever met, and was an inspiration to all
of us. His presence here gave an extra dimension to the conference,
and attracted much more attention that it would otherwise have received.
He went to see the Israeli President Ezer Weizmann of his own initiative,
hoping to persuade him to grant amnesty to Mordechai Vanunu, but
was treated very rudely, and returned to Tel Aviv deeply disappointed.
There are not many people in the world in whom a high intelligence
and a powerful conscience combine with great personal courage -
Joseph Rotblat was one of the very few. Please convey my condolences,
also on behalf of the original Vanunu Defence Committee in Israel,
to all the associates, friends and supporters with whom you are
in touch. ours in sympathy and support, I just
received the sad news of the passing away of Sir Joseph Rotblat.
I send you sincere condolences on behalf of the President and Fellows
of the Nigerian Academy of Sciences and members of the national
Pugwash group. I first
saw Joseph Rotblat in Oslo in 2001. He was on stage with most of
the living Nobel Peace Prize Laureates for a CNN Special on the
Centennial of the Nobel Prize. He was the oldest in the group, and
slight of build. I believe he was 93 at the time. As the microphone
was handed to him, I expected to strain a bit listening to him speak,
the way you exercise a little extra patience and tolerance in talking
to grandparents. I couldn't have been more wrong. I didn't know
at the time that I was listening to the last surviving professional
associate of Albert Einstein. I just knew that when he took the
microphone and started talking about US nuclear policy and its effect
on the world, everyone in that audience was riveted. When he stopped,
I felt that rush of energy and excitement you get when a speaker
just knocks you off your chair. The following year I heard him again,
at the Nobel Laureates' Summit in Rome in November. Once again,
his speech had such an impact on me that I wrote to his office afterwards
and asked for a transcript so I could post it on the community.com's
site -- which his wonderful assistant Sally promptly supplied. Joseph
was not timid about his views. He felt that the US nuclear policy
under the Bush administration was endangering the world. But he
expressed his views without malice, without attacking anyone's character,
without whining -- just pointing out, with years of experience and
a sky-high IQ behind him, the facts. He had done much the same when
the US was testing the hydrogen bomb in Bikini Atoll in the 60s.
The alarm that he sounded at that time had started a ball rolling
that became the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. This time, though, fewer
people listened. Politicians and industries tied to nuclear development
have much more PR skill and media power behind them today. Governments
don't seem compelled to answer to people like scientists any more.
And Joseph was just one man. Most of the scientists who had "come
of age" with the realization of the dangers to mankind posed
by nuclear weapons, the rest of the group who had participated in
the Russell-Einstein manifesto, had passed away in the last decades.
But even if he felt at times like the last lone voice, Joseph never
stopped trying. I continued to see Joseph at various gatherings
of the Nobel Laureates, and have been in touch at times between
events. We would share a meal when our paths crossed at a conference.
As the 2004 elections approached, we did an interview and press
release with him. An hour after we posted it, 34,000 people downloaded
the release. It stayed in the number one story under "Bush
nuclear policy" on Google for more than a week. I was far from
alone in my enchantment with Joseph Rotblat. In 2003 I had what
I consider one of the most memorable experiences of my life. We
brought Michael Douglas and Joseph together in Hamburg to tape an
interview for our "What's So Hard About Peace?" series.
We got to sit in the room while Michael asked him about his childhood
in Poland, walking off the Manhattan Project, the difficult moral
decisions he had made in his life. Some of the crew came up to me
after the shoot and thanked me, saying that being there had changed
their lives. Two of the women said they came away with crushes on
Joseph. (Not surprising. He was completely charming in his sweet
temperament, humility and warmth). Michael's experience of the interview
is probably best described by the expression on his face in the
pictures taken afterwards. Two months after the interview Joseph
had a stroke. We all held our breath -- until we heard from Sally
that he was working from his hospital bed. Still, when I last saw
him, in 2004, I thought he looked frail. He had lost none of his
warmth, he still enjoyed a good laugh, but it was becoming apparent
to all of us around him. We all knew we would be losing him. The
day before he passed away, I received an email from Desmond Tutu's
office about a letter some of the Nobel Laureates were signing,
calling for reason and sanity on both sides in the Middle East.
He said that Joseph Rotblat had just sent his best wishes to everyone
from the hospital and they were just waiting for confirmation on
his signature. It seems that true to form, the day before he died,
Joseph Rotblat was still doing what he could to make the world a
better place. Wherever you are now, Joseph, we wish you well. And
thank you for 96 years spent making our world a safer and more humane
place to live. It is with
great sadness that we learned about the death of Sir Joseph Rotblat.
We want to share our condolences with his dear ones, friends and
the Pugwash community at large. Sir Joseph Rotblat has been a great
example and inspiration to many people in this world who love peace
and seek ways to rid our world of nuclear arms and war. We shall
remember him not only as the brilliant scientist he was, but even
more so because of his unique personality, his vision, his ideals,
and his drive and persistence to make his ideals a reality. These
days it is often recalled that he observed that a war-free world
is not a utopian idea. The best way we can commemorate Sir Joseph
Rotblat is to continue his impressive work in the Pugwash movement
and beyond, and turn his ideals into reality. In the midst of
the deep sorrow we feel by Jo's physical disappearance we can
see a flame shining brighter. Since nearly fifty years
ago, when a few prominent scientists including Jo met in Pugwash,
he has been devoted to fight for the ideals put forward in the
Russell-Einstein Manifesto. After half a century Pugwash
gathers thousands of concerned people from all over the world,
including young students, in whom Jo relied the future of our
actions. Now the torch is passed on to us. May Jo's ideals
reinvigorate its flame and illuminate us in the future. I can not
believe this terrible news and am regretted for Sir
Josepth Rotblat's death. I feel sorrow for his
death and I express my deepest sympathy. Sir Josepth
Rotblat was a great leader of the Pugwash movement.
His death leaves the world without one of its most distinguished
and dedicated protectors of world peace. I had
a chance to see him at his last two conference appearances:
the 53rd in Nova Scotia, Canada and the 54th
in Seoul, Korea. I believe his devotion for world
peace through Pugwash movement had great positive influence
to current Korean Nuclear Issue. I send him my
sympathy and respect. We are deeply sad
for the loss of Jo Robtlat. He was a great example for all of
us and the inspiration to make this world a peaceful one. Jo's
determination, commitment, vision and ideals will be with us
forever. Some of us in Mexico will always be grateful to him
for having a decisive influence in our careers. We should honor
his memory by redoubling the efforts within the Pugwash community
and beyond to eliminate war and to abolish nuclear weapons. The days are passing
and we more and more realise what a great loss to the humankind,
to science and to every individual having the greatest privilege
of knowing Prof. Josef Rotblat was his death. On 29 of September
the Bulgarian Pugwash Group organized a modest meeting of scholars
knowing him personally to share our memories for this great
man. Please convey my
best wishes and those of my colleagues to the Pugwash community
over the death of Joseph Rotblat, He was well respected in Australia.
Fellow academics at my university, The Australian National University,
regard him as a man who achieved great things in science, but
never lost sight of the human dimension - and had the moral
courage to do something about it. |