Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Annual Conference
11– 12 September 2004
City Hall, London

Britain’s largest peace campaign will be holding its annual conference on the 11 and 12 September in London’s City Hall. CND’s annual conference will see peace campaigners from across the country coming together to debate some of the key issues facing the world today. The Conference will shape the campaigning agenda for the peace movement in the coming year.

CND is at the centre of the peace and anti-war movement and has played a crucial role in mobilising the vast opposition to the war on Iraq and the aggressive pre-emptive war policies of our government. Effective opposition to these policies will be central to discussion. CND is Britain’s leading anti-nuclear organisation and much of the debate will focus on the developments taking place around Britain’s nuclear arsenal and how CND will be campaigning to prevent new nuclear weapons and a replacement for Trident.

The conference will hear from leading campaigners and politicians including London’s Mayor Ken Livingstone, the leader of the Japanese peace movement Mr Hiroshi Taka, CND Chair Kate Hudson and Green MEP Caroline Lucas.

Kate Hudson, Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament said:

“The cycle of violence has escalated, and not diminished over the past three years. The tragedy of September 11th was not marked by peace but by war. It is vital that we look to peaceful solutions to the world’s problems rather then following aggressive warmongering policies that only add to the insecurity and violence.

CND’s annual Conference begins an important year of campaigning for us, leading up to the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima in August 2005. Three key issues are at the top of our campaigning agenda. Firstly to get our government to comply with its commitments to disarm under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty – under review in New York in May 2005. Secondly to get a commitment from our government that it will not pursue a replacement for Trident – a decision on this is due in the next Parliament. And thirdly, to persuade our government to stop the new developments taking place at the atomic bomb factory in Aldermaston – which we believe, may lead to the production of new nuclear weapons designed to be used in further pre-emptive wars.”

-ENDS-

Notes to editor:

1. For further information or interviews please contact Ruth Tanner CND’s Press & Communications Officer on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859