Bahrain to host nuclear non-proliferation expo

A joint press conference was organized by Japan’s Soka Gakkai International (SGI), Bahrain Centre for Strategic, International and Energy Studies, International Campaign to abolish nuclear weapons (ICAN), Inter Press Services (IPS) and United Nations Information Centre to announce the launch of a 12-day photo exhibition on nuclear non-proliferation. The opening ceremony is expected to be at the Bahrain National Museum on March 12 at 11.00 am. The exhibition will be open to the public at the West Exhibition Area of Seef Mall from March 13 till March 23. Addressing the press conference the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ghanum Fadhel Al Buainain lauded the role of the United Nations (UN) in that it is focused on the concept of peace and renunciation of war, and added that this is also the pure meaning of Islam. Addressing the media at the UN House on exhibition themed ‘from a culture of violence to a culture of peace – toward a world free from nuclear weapons’, the minister said the conference, held in cooperation with the Bahrain Centre for Strategic, International and Energy Studies, the UN and the Japanese Embassy is a milestone for peace and the creation of a world free of nuclear weapons. He added that the Kingdom of Bahrain has given considerable attention to the three values of peace -- the value of world peace, the value of dialogue and the value of tolerance -- through focusing on the tripartite universal system of contemporary values. Hence the importance of giving priority to the role of culture, education and media in spreading these values, he added. The Kingdom, he said, is keen on adopting dialogue and tolerance, “the cornerstone for the development of our political system to preserve peace and security in our homeland and in the world, under the guidance His Majesty the King.” Peace represents a key goal and humanity’s grand march for peace in the world demand the efforts of people, states, governments and international civil and national organizations, added Al Buainain. Urging the media to help in dissemination of the principles of the culture of peace, he said “I invite the media to take account of the publication of the facts, and be accurate in this regards, thus reflecting harmony between communities and peoples and even within each community.” The biggest problem threatening international peace and security is the global and regional arms race, especially nuclear arms. “I would like to single out the third nuclear test carried out by North Korea in February of this year. This foreshadows a regional nuclear race. I shall not fail to note Iran’s nuclear program which it maintains its peaceful functions. However, the programe has far-reaching effects on the environment, wildlife and marine life and radioactive pollution as well as security risks in the Arabian Gulf region if it transforms into a militaristic nuclear programme,” he added. Adding impetus to the cause for peace the minister said it is appropriate to refer to the preamble of the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) which declares that since wars begin in the minds of men, it is the minds of men that the defense of peace must be constructed. Exhorting people to follow the true meaning of Islam, he said, the pure meaning of Islam is peace – a call to an all-inclusive love and lasting peace. Commending the role of the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon and staff at the UN, he said they work in dedication for the dissemination of the culture of world peace. “I look forward to further efforts within a global comprehensive plan in accordance with the UN Declaration and Programme of Action of a Culture of Peace which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1999. The Ambassador of Japan to Bahrain, Shigeki Sumi, said the exhibition has three pillars – the human security, elimination of nuclear weapons and the organizer, SGI. He said the Kingdom of Bahrain gave great stress to human security. The envoy said that the security provided by the military cannot be the only pillar. Dissemination of information and a strong people to people power is of utmost importance, he added. Japan, he said, promoted the elimination of nuclear weapons by tabling resolutions. The resolutions have the support of over 160 countries, he added. It is also important to change the mindset of those look for war – change from a culture of violence to a culture of peace, he added. Hirotsugu Terasaki, Executive Director for Peace Affairs, SGI said the exhibition was produced in 2007 as the initial project to launch SGI’s ‘people’s decade for nuclear abolition’ campaign. It is a global grassroots movement to galavnise public opinion around the need to abolish nuclear weapons. Explaining the reason for Bahrain being the first country for the exhibition in the Middle East, he said, one of the objectives was to contribute to the discussions on a Middle East nuclear weapons and WMD free zone. The people of Bahrain, he said, could revisit the issue of nuclear weapons as something immediate and relevant to their lives, especially from the perspective of human security, he added. The SGI, he said, is an international Buddhist association that aims at promoting peace. The organisation’s nuclear abolition efforts trace their roots back to 1957, he added. “In the area of peace and disarmament – in particular, the abolition of nuclear weapons – our initiatives have been centered on raising awareness among the general public,” he added. The organization focuses on engaging young minds and raising awareness through youth-centred forums, workshops and antinuclear petition drives, he added. Baher Kamal, Director of Arabic Services, Inter Press Service urged journalists to stand together in abolishing nuclear weapons. He used the grave consequences of the collision of nuclear submarines of the US and USSR navies in the North Sea to outline the urgency of abolition. UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator Peter Grohmann called on the media to give its best in promoting the exhibition. Regional Campaigner, ICAN, Nasser Burdestani also spoke at the conference.