International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness, 5 March 2026
On March 5, 2026 the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness is celebrated, seeking to raise awareness and increase understanding regarding these topics.
The International Day was created through resolution A/RES/77/51 of 2022 adopted by the General Assembly, inviting all Member States, organizations of the United Nations, civil society, academia, media and individuals to commemorate the International Day.
The importance of the International Day continues to remain prevalent as weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons, continue to be a primary concern due to their high degree of destructiveness and threat to humanity. Today, the emerging weapon technologies, such as autonomous weapons, pose a further challenge to global peace and security.
The Federation of American Scientists underlines that, to this day, 12,400 nuclear weapons remain an existential threat to humanity as a whole, and that 9,700 nuclear weapons are in military service, with the rest awaiting dismantlement.
The United Nations note that in 2023, the global military spending surged to a record $2.4 trillion, representing the ninth year of growth, while the official development assistance in 2023 totaled $223 billion, less than 10% of global military spending. This highlights the importance and urgency of the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness and its understanding.
The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs notes that 200,000 children can attend a year of school for the price of one stealth fighter; the International Peace Bureau stated that 26,00 people can be treated for malaria for the price of one battle tank and that the cost of one aircraft carrier can reforest an area 3 times the size of Costa Rica.
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the occasion of the 2023 International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness stated:
“Disarmament and non-proliferation are investments in peace. They are investments in our future. Let’s end these threats before they end us.”