Bike for Peace is doing a short cycle tour of Switzerland from August 27-31 in conjunction with the International Day Against Nuclear Tests.
The tour includes bike rides and events in Lausanne and Geneva to highlight the role of sport in advancing peace, and to support diplomatic initiatives to prevent nuclear war and achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world (see Doomsday Clock and Swiss Tour below)
Tour Schedule
On August 27, Bike for Peace attends the Diamond League in Lausanne to highlight the role of sport in promoting peace and disarmament.
On August 28, Bike for Peace bikes to Villa la Grange, the meeting place of some important diplomatic meetings including the June 16, 2021 Summit meeting of USA President Joseph Biden and Russia President Vladimir Putin. At this summit, the two Presidents agreed to re-start a Strategic Stability Dialogue. Bike for Peace is a participant in the NoFirstUse Global initiative which calls on the leaders to discuss and adopt No-First-Use policies as an important step to achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world.
On August 29, Bike for Peace holds a small commemoration event for the International Day Against Nuclear Tests at Place des Nations in front of the United Nations. This will include a minute of silence for the victims of nuclear tests at 11:05, the time proposed by the ATOM Project and its Honorary Ambassador Karipbek Kuyukov, a second generation victim of Soviet nuclear tests in Kazakhstan.
On August 30, Bike for Peace rides to the UN Missions of some of the nuclear armed States to deliver a letter calling on them to adopt measures to prevent nuclear war, such as No-First-Use policies, and to commit to the global elimination of nuclear weapons no later than 2045, the 100th anniversary of the UN.
On August 31, Bike for Peace leader Tore Naerland speaks at a special commemoration event at the Palais de Nations for the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. The event is organised by the Permament Mission of Kazakhstan to the United Nations.
The Doomsday Clock: 100 Seconds to Midnight
In January this year the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists set the Doomsday Clock at 100 Seconds to Midnight, indicating how close humanity is to an existential catastrophe from nuclear war or climate collapse – stimulated further by mismanagement of the pandemic. Bike for Peace highlights what every-day citizens can do.
The Swiss tour
The Swiss tour focuses on the nuclear threat, current initiatives and campaign actions. This is especially significant for Switzerland, which is surrounded by nuclear weapons in France, Germany and Italy (US deployed weapons), and which has a key role to advance nuclear disarmament in Europe & internationally including through the UN in Geneva.
