Disarmament in Review
Disarmament Week seeks to promote awareness and better understanding of disarmament issues and their cross-cutting importance. To celebrate this week, the Vienna Office of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) organised an interactive exhibition from 24 to 30 October. The exhibition was housed in the Rotunda of the Vienna International Centre which is home to various international organisations relevant to UNODA’s work, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).
To shine the spotlight on Disarmament Week, the UNODA Vienna Office created an interactive, educational photo exhibition. By means of a visual display, supported by powerful messages, the Office highlighted the history and impact of disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control. Disarmament successes were also showcased, underscoring the importance and historic relevance of disarmament in times of crisis and tension. The exhibition was opened with a launch event on 24 October, United Nations Day, and was organised in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Defence of the host government, Austria. A booth set up by the Ministry offered exciting learning opportunities, including a Virtual Reality (VR) experience involving the women ammunition experts training programme, jointly organised with UNODA. The VR experience enabled visitors to gain practical insights into the work of ammunition storage and management.
A strong supporter of youth engagement, the Vienna Office also provided a forum for the voices of young people at the event, including Shukur Myradov, a young advocate from the Japan-funded Youth Leader Fund for a World Without Nuclear Weapons innovative learning programme, and Jord Nguyen, one of the winners of UNODA’s recent Sci-fAI Futures Youth Challenge, an excerpt of whose short story was read during the event. His full story is available in podcast format, narrated by the author, on the UNODA website and Spotify. The UN Choir opened and closed the event with songs about peace and humanity.
The exhibition also covered the various areas of work encompassed under the umbrella term “disarmament”. From weapons of mass destruction, to new technologies and gender perspectives, the photos illustrated the global challenges we face and pathways to address them. The webtoon “Misplaced fAIth” by Melody Qian, which was created for the Sci-fAI Futures Youth Challenge and which examines the diverse positions held on artificial intelligence and responsible innovation, was one of the exhibition highlights. Finally, an interactive totem screen challenged visitors to play the Disarmament Week connections game, grouping disarmament concepts that share a common thread. Try it yourself here!
UNODA celebrated another successful Disarmament Week in Vienna, with many engaging activities and interested visitors. The photos on display at the photo exhibition are available in a catalogue here. Thank you for joining us!
