Nobel Peace Prize Goes to Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, a coalition of nongovernmental organizations in more than 100 countries. Launched in 2007, ICAN helped organize a landmark victory this year: the world’s first legally binding treaty banning nuclear weapons. The treaty was adopted by 122 U.N. member states in July, and signed by 51 countries during U.N. General Assembly Week in September. The treaty prohibits the development, testing and possession of nuclear weapons, as well as using or threatening to use these weapons. It was adopted and signed by dozens of countries despite the fierce opposition of the United States and other nuclear-armed nations. This is the executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Beatrice Fihn.