Dear Friend --

I’m reaching out to ask if we can count on you to help us take on a huge challenge in 2024: tackling the obscene amount of money ($82.9 billion last year) spent on nuclear weapons!

Each year we investigate and put out the global cost of nuclear weapons, and help draw the connections to what that money could have been spent on instead: healthcare, education, combating climate change and more. Each year, we reveal what the 9 nuclear-armed states would prefer to remain secret, making headlines and even presidential speeches, but we need to do more.

So next June, we want to organise a global week of action on nuclear weapons spending. Will you chip in to make it happen? 

This project is big. It requires in-depth research on the latest nuclear spending - which is becoming harder to do as states become less transparent - as well as the translation of these findings into short, compelling and shareable materials, into local contexts and local languages, and the coordination of actions in each country. Luckily, we don’t have to do it alone; we plan to mobilise our entire campaign to highlight the incredible opportunity cost of these weapons! Help make it happen»

And if you have a moment, I want to share with you just one example of how this campaign - powered by our partners and allies around the world - gets things done.

Last week, ICAN campaigners from all over the world gathered in New York for the second meeting of states parties to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). During Nuclear Ban Week, we set out to work with governments, scientists, nuclear testing and use survivors, artists and investors on strengthening the treaty and taking it out of the UN halls.

We achieved some incredible results, including several firsts for a UN meeting on nuclear weapons: a final declaration that calls out nuclear deterrence as a significant security problem, the centering of the humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons use and the testing of voices of affected communities, the inclusion of stakeholder groups such as youth, elected officials and the financial community, as well as over 65 events across New York and the world, including art exhibitions, concerts, panel discussions, awards ceremonies, a twice-daily livestream and a powerful day of action. You can read all about it here. 

Photo: ICAN | Darren Ornitz

These results were possible not only thanks to the dedication and hard work of ICAN campaigners and volunteers, but also because of the support and generosity of donors from around the world. These results give me the confidence that we can make this week of action a resounding success.  But to do so, we have to put serious resources behind this project, and any amount you can contribute will go a long way.  

We are hoping to raise $50,000 before the end of the year to make this week of action happen.  We already have a commitment by a generous anonymous donor to match the first $10,000 given. So will you help us reach that first milestone by December 20th? 

As the project manager for Nuclear Ban Week this year and a co-author of ICAN’s nuclear spending report, I cannot stress enough how proud I am of what we achieved in New York last week, and how excited I am for what’s coming next. I hope you will continue to support us as we push forward.  

In solidarity,

Susi Snyder
Project Coordinator
ICAN