Action Plan for the 7th General Conference of Mayors for Peace
1. Current priority activities of Mayors for Peace
Vigorously promote 2020 Vision Campaign to abolish nuclear weapons by 2020.
Focus on activities promoting the adoption of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol at theNPT Review Conference in May 2010. Promote Protocol as the only document
currently in discussion whose adoption could forestall rapid proliferation and lead to anuclear-weapon-free world by 2020.
1) Working towards the adoption of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol at the 2010
NPT Review Conference
In 2007, Mayors for Peace began conducting a grassroots petition drive supporting theHiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol. In 2008 we delivered nearly 370,000 signatures to theUnited Nations, and this petition drive will continue until May 2010. To promote
this effort, we will publish a booklet to explain the Protocol to the general public,
appeal to the media, and make every effort to make “Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol” ahousehold word. In addition, we will redouble our effort to recruit Mayors for Peace
members. Every city that joins our organization strengthens our appeal for adoptionof the Protocol.
2) Promote the International Decade for Disarmament, 2010 to 2020.
Mayors for Peace will encourage all civil society organizations with a stake indisarmament to ensure that the UNDC issues a formal declaration, as requested by theGeneral Assembly. Thereafter, we will work to ensure that nuclear disarmament isgiven a high-profile in global activities related to the International Decade forDisarmament.
3) Promote role of cities and municipal associations in participatory diplomacy
related to peace, disarmament and international affairs

1The schedule of activities related to the above will include the following:
Date
September 2009 –April 2010

Activities
i.

ii.
iii.

iv.

v.
vi.
vii.

viii.

ix.

x.

xi.

Participate in the 62nd Annual Conference of NGOs
associated with the UN Dept. of Public Information(DPI), titled “For Peace and Development: DisarmNow!”, to be held in Mexico City, 9 to 11 Sept. 2009
Participate in UN International Day of Peace, 21 Sept.,
focused this year on nuclear disarmament.
At the fourth meeting of the International Commission
on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament(ICNND), press for adoption of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki
Protocol at the 2010 NPT Review Conference, October
2009
Promote the grassroots petition drive in support ofCANT, the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol, and related
nuclear disarmament demands.
Recruit new member cities as evidence of support for theProtocol.
Begin inviting member cities to join a mayoral
delegation to the 2010 NPT Review Conference.
Work with cities and municipal associations, such as theUnited States Conference of Mayors (USCM), to lobby
national governments at home and at the UN.
Lobby government representatives for submission of aresolution related to the Hiroshima - Nagasaki Protocol
or similar document at the UN General Assembly.
Report the results of membership and grassroots petition
drives in support of the Hiroshima – Nagasaki Protocol
to the First Committee of UN General Assembly,
emphasizing that abolition is the will of the majority.
Work with nations to submit the Hiroshima-Nagasaki
Protocol or a comparable, related document at the 2010
NPT Review Conference.
Monitor the talks now beginning in the Conference on
Disarmament and advocate for an immediate start toformal negotiations on achieving a nuclear-weapon-freeworld by 2020.

2May 2010

i.
ii.

iii.

iv.
By August 6,
2010i.

ii.

Demand adoption of the Hiroshima – Nagasaki Protocol
or related document at the NPT Review Conference.
Participate in the 2 May, 2010 rally, march and peace andjustice festival in New York City, being organized byAbolition 2000 and United for Peace and Justice.
Utilizing the NGO session, report the results of themembership and grassroots drives supporting theHiroshima – Nagasaki Protocol, stressing that nuclear
weapon abolition is the majority will.
Organize a Mayors for Peace event during the Review
Conference.
After the NPT Review Conference, Mayors for Peace
will cooperate with the International Association of
Peace Messenger Cities to strongly support holding afourth Special Session devoted to Disarmament.
In addition, we will convene a major international
conference in Hiroshima of like-minded nations andNGOs to celebrate the start of negotiations and address
next steps in the campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons
by 2020. If necessary, this Hiroshima Conference willconsider alternative means of pressing for nuclear
weapons abolition, including an NPT amendment, atrack 2 process, or World Court Project II. Mayors for
Peace will work urgently with all partners to ensure thatthe international campaign remains broad-based,
high-profile and high-priority.

4) Strengthen collaboration with campaign partners and promote grassroots
petition drive
Mayors for Peace will continue to promote our grassroots petition drive in support ofthe CANT (Cities Are Not Targets) project and the HNP. We will also cooperate withmember cities, NGOs, labor unions and other like-minded groups to gather at least 10
million signatures on related, though not identical petitions.

3DateSeptember 2009 –May 2010

Fall 2010

Activitiesi.

Create an advisory group consisting of representativesfrom member cities that have experienced the scourge ofwar.
ii.
Utilizing the above advisory group, recruit new members
and conduct petition drives in cities with similar wartime
experiences.
iii.
Strengthen collaboration with Abolition 2000 andorganizational members of Abolition 2000 to mutually
support all our campaign activities whenever andwherever possible.
iv.
Partner with other activist groups such as theInternational Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear
War (IPPNW), the International Campaign to Ban
Landmines (ICBL) and Cluster Munitions Coalition(CMC) as well as groups dealing with international
humanitarian law, such as the International Associationof Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms (IALANA).
UCLG 3rd World Congress in Mexico City: gain involvement ofUCLG in CANT

5) Greatly increase Mayors for Peace membership
Increase member cities to 5,000 by May 2010.
i.
Request that member cities recruit nearby municipalities that are not yetmembers.
ii.
Utilize sister-city and friendship city relationshipsiii.
Utilize international meetings and cooperate with local government andmunicipal associations.
iv.
Establish a presence in Latin America and Africa; activate allied NGOs on
those continents.
6) Expansion of the Executive Committee
Given the rapid growth of Mayors for Peace, it is deemed advisable to expand theExecutive Committee to build capacity and improve communication as we movetoward a nuclear-weapon-free world in 2020. In expanding the Executive Committee
we will be guided by the following principles:i.
Seek geographical balance among continents and countries.
ii.
Give priority to countries with high numbers of members. However, even incountries with low numbers, cities that demonstrate high effectiveness or are of
special strategic importance will also be considered.
iii.
The Executive Committee shall not be expanded beyond 1% of total
4membership.
7) Establish contact centers within as many cities/countries as possible to improve
communication, fundraising, recruitment efforts and management of national orregional activities.
i.
In 2007 Mayors for Peace created the 2020 Vision Campaign Association, aregistered NPO incorporated in Ieper, Belgium. This new internationalsecretariat has contributed enormously to designing and implementing the2020 Vision Campaign.
ii.
The international secretariat in Belgium will take the lead in creating andmanaging a network of centers through which to obtain effective campaign
assistance.
8) Development of the “Obamajority” Campaign
Based on the speech made by President Obama in which he announced America’s
commitment to seek peace and security in a world without nuclear weapons, Mayors
for Peace will promote the term “Obamajority” to refer to the global majority ofnations and people seeking the abolition of nuclear weapons. This campaign will
begin in Japan. It will be expanded wherever it is deemed likely to broaden the baseof grassroots public support. Concrete efforts will include the following:i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.

Publications and website postings
Establishment of an “Obamajority” website
Strategic public relations activities utilizing mass media
Production and sales of T-shirts and other souvenir items with the Obamajority
logo
Produce an Obamajority campaign song
Promotions through conferences
Obtain cooperation from peace NGOs.

2. Midterm plans prior to the 8th General Conference
The 2010 NPT Review Conference and its immediate consequences will profoundly
influence the campaign from May 2010 until the 8th General Conference in 2013. Thus,
mid-term plans will be deliberated and determined during the Hiroshima Conference to beheld after the Review Conference. In general, those plans will include the following:

5Projects
 New measures to facilitate implementation of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki
Protocol or similar document as determined by the Hiroshima Conference to beheld between May and August 2010.
 Strong promotion of the UN Decade for Disarmament Press for a Special Session on Disarmament Expand recruiting activities; build membership and capacity
 Hold 8th Executive Conference; approve plans for the 8th General Conferencein 2013 and the NPT Review Conference in 2015
 Hold 8th General Conference of Mayors for Peace in Hiroshima; finalize plans
for the NPT Review Conference of 2015
3. 2020 Olympics in Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Mayors for Peace will rejoice and deem it more than appropriate for Hiroshima andNagasaki to celebrate the total elimination of nuclear weapons by hosting the Olympic
Games in 2020.
4. Building organizational capacity
As Mayors for Peace grows and the 2020 Vision Campaign gathers momentum, the active
involvement of all member cities will be vital to success.
i.
Improve database operation and communication through local lead cities toactivate executive and other member cities.
ii.
With 7th General Conference participants at the core, utilize the network to
hold regional and national meetings
5. Building firm fiscal foundation
Costs incurred in the course of administering the Mayors for Peace Secretariat, theExecutive and General Conferences, overseas activities, and the salaries of executive
advisors are still borne largely by Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Thankfully, approximately
140 member cities have agreed, at the request of the 2020 Vision Campaign Association
headquartered in Belgium, to contribute a sum of 0.025 Euros per city resident for varioustime periods, some as long as until 2020. However, to conduct a successful campaign,
Mayors for Peace must find ways to get similar contributions from far more cities.
Because the campaign is intensifying, activities are increasing. Because membership isincreasing, communication and organizational costs are rising. In fact, the campaign isalready being hindered by a lack of funds.
On the other hand, it is clear that no single fundraising strategy will succeed in all
countries. Thus, the two secretariats need to work flexibly with local partners in othercountries to develop strategies tailored to widely varying political, cultural and economic
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circumstances.
 Financial support from member cities, corporations, NGOs and individuals
1. All member cities will be sent periodic request letters from the International
Campaign Secretariat soliciting voluntary donations.
2. A formal invoicing system will be instituted to let each city know the amount of thevoluntary donation we are requesting based on the formula we have developed. (Seesample invoice and cover letter.)
3. The secretariats will also seek funds from foundations, corporations, NGOs andindividuals.
4. Executive cities and other members will be approached for advice and support
regarding communications and fundraising methods in their countries or regions.

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