Who we are...
Voices is a community of diplomats, scientists, scholars, educators, religious leaders, and grassroot activists committed to the elimination of nuclear weapons.
Through education, reflection and action, we engage citizens and decision makers to become aware of the threat; to draw strength from humanity's deep resources of faith and community; and to act with courage as agents of positive change.
Voices is a Cooperation Circle of the United Religions Initiative, and includes dynamic voices from many political, religious, spiritual and interfaith communities.
The Nuclear Threat
In 1945 the world saw the horrific results of two nuclear explosions. The threat of nuclear war and planetary devastation is far more dangerous now - and without public conversation and public pressure it will only get worse.
Since 1945, the potential for nuclear cataclysm has grown to an unimaginable scale. There are now over 13,500 nuclear bombs in the world, most of them vastly more powerful than the two that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and they are now in the hands of many more governments.
Over the years a number of treaties have been signed to ban nuclear testing, lower the overall number of nuclear weapons, and reduce their spread. But even with this progress, we’re far more at risk than ever before.
Nuclear weapons are now a threat to all life on the planet, and the problems they cause are now far greater than the security problems they claim to solve. Yet we rarely talk about it – and without public conversation and public pressure that threat will only grow worse.
Even if nuclear weapons are never used, we continue to live under a cloud of fear that nuclear annihilation could happen at any time. The very existence of these weapons violates the fundamental moral, ethical and spiritual principles of human civilization. That’s unsustainable, morally unacceptable, and must change.
What We Believe
It doesn’t have to be this way. We can have a world free of nuclear weapons.
"A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought."
- Ronald Reagan
People have the power to make a change and to rid the world of this threat. Change begins with education and public conversation - and young people, faith leaders and educators have a particularly crucial role to play in starting and leading those conversations.
Where We Begin
In our faiths, our beliefs and our ethical convictions we find the inner strength and the moral calling to see that succeeding generations are no longer held hostage to a nuclear threat.
Change begins by becoming informed, widening the public conversation and generating pressure for change. People created this ultimate threat to life, and people acting together can end it.
Young people, faith leaders and educators bring particular energy, intelligence and moral commitment to these efforts. Working together, we can leave a safer and better world for the generations that will follow us.
What We Focus On
Many people don’t realize how serious the nuclear threat has become. We educate ourselves and others about the nuclear threat.
Many people feel helpless about something that seems beyond their control. We work to build a new and urgent public conversation about nuclear weapons.
Many people don't know what they can actually do. We spotlight specific actions people can take that can make a difference.
The community of people working for nuclear disarmament is quite small. We help new voices of youth and people of faith become engaged, and we work to inspire the next generation of activists, organizers and leaders.
Our faith, moral convictions and core values sustain us in acting for change. We engage people of faith to pray and act for a world free from nuclear threat.
