Hi Friend --



I'm writing to you from Mexico City, where I spent an incredible weekend with artists, campaigners and some of the world's most talented musicians at the Axe Ceremonia Festival <[link removed]>, spreading the word about why and how we can rid the world of nuclear weapons. I still can’t believe this happened and it's hard to put in words just how powerful it was to stand up in front of thousands of young people and explain to them why they should be adding their voice to the global #nuclearban movement.



So here's a video instead:



<[link removed]>



<[link removed]>Watch & Share the video <[link removed]>





Why was ICAN at Axe Ceremonia <[link removed]> anyway?



1- Because if we're going to push back against nuclear weapons, we need to reach and engage everyone, and young people in particular. While my generation and those below us may not have grown up with nuclear weapons as a clear threat, the past year has shown just how great this risk still is, and many are keen to take action but unsure where to start. 



2- Because our friend Pedro Reyes, with whom we are working on Artists against the Bomb <[link removed]>, helped get us a spot on stage in front of a crowd of thousands of young attendees as well as behind the scenes with the performers, and those opportunities are worth taking with two hands.  



3- And because Mexico holds a special place in ICAN's heart: Mexico led Latin America to become the first nuclear-weapons free zone, it has been a key country in the process to achieve the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and now continues to help build on that success. In fact, Mexico will be the President of the second Meeting of States Parties of the TPNW later this year. And of course, now it will also hold a place in my heart for this incredible opportunity. 



Over the coming weeks, we'll be introducing the young people we reached at the festival to our movement and the issue: what nuclear weapons do, how the TPNW works to eliminate them, and what they can do to get involved. I know just how powerful youth can be when they rally behind an issue. (Fun fact, while in Mexico, I also called in to the #NuclearBan Youth Getaway <[link removed]> taking place in Porto this weekend, where some of the incredible young activists in our network met up to plan ways to take action in their different home countries.) So I can't wait to see what the Ceremonia crowd will do. 



Will you help our video reach even more people by watching and sharing it <[link removed]>? We want to show the world that everyone can take a stand against nuclear weapons, no matter where you are, or what music you love. 



Thank you, 



Venessa Hanson

Social Media Officer

ICAN



It’s time to end nuclear weapons.



Support ICAN’s work <[link removed]>











----

ICAN - Place de Cornavin 2, Geneve 1201, Switzerland

This email was sent to [email protected]. To stop receiving emails: [link removed]



Created with NationBuilder - [link removed]