As an avowed campaigner for the elimination of all nuclear weapons, I welcome the fact that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons has now been ratified by fifty countries and will come into force from January next year. This is indeed historic and augurs well for the future of humanity. It is a step in the right direction to finding more enlightened and civilized arrangements for resolving conflicts.

I have no doubt that this treaty’s coming into force will contribute to even more concerted efforts to do away with these dreadful weapons and secure genuine and lasting peace in our world. It is my belief that our generation has arrived at the threshold of a new era in human history. Because we are all interdependent, our vast and diverse human family must learn to live together in peace. I commend the United Nations and the concerned member states that have made this treaty possible. It is an act of universal responsibility that recognises the fundamental oneness of humanity.

The world has now taken the first positive step towards a more peaceful future, but our ultimate goal should be the demilitarization of the entire planet. I believe this is feasible if proper plans are made and people are educated to their advantages. Since the first step, the intention to eliminate nuclear weapons has been taken; ultimately total demilitarization can be achieved.

A nuclear-free world is in everyone’s interest. The reality today is we need to rely on mutual understanding and dialogue to resolve conflicts. Therefore, I take the opportunity to urge all governments to work to implement this treaty, so that the world becomes a safer place for us all.

~His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama

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