For immediate release
NEW YORK - With Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and US President Barack Obama taking on renewed leadership roles in promoting nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, hopes that progress can be made on this vital issue are on the rise.
A panel of distinguished international figures – including Christie Brinkley, model and philanthropist, and the Honorable Gareth Evans, the Co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament – will explore some of the dynamic initiatives opening up before the world at a panel entitled “Progress Initiatives” on Wednesday, May 6, at 1:15pm.
In her speech, Ms. Brinkley will say:
Change is a constant. Sometimes the world changes imperceptibly and slowly and sometimes it can come a flash. The world is now poised for changes for the better. The moment of opportunity is now. But let us never forget that the danger that sits over our head arrived in a flash.
“Progressive Initiatives” will be held on May 6, 1:15 – 2:45 in Conference Room One, United Nations. The other panellists are:
- The Honorable Gareth Evans, former Foreign Minister of Australia and Co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament,
- Amb. Henrik Salander, The Chairman of the Middle Powers Initiative,
- Mr. Hideo Hiraoka, MP, a member of the Japanese Diet (parliament).
The panel is co-sponsored by the Government of Austria, the Global Security Institute and the Middle Powers Initiative.
At 11:30: Ms. Brinkley will meet with High Representative Sergio Duarte in the Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA) and Mr. Jonathan Granoff, President of Global Security Institute. At 12:10- 12:40: there will be press interviews in the ODA Conference Room, 31 st floor of the UN, with Mr. Duarte, Ms. Brinkley and Mr. Granoff. At approximately 2:30, Mr. Evans and Mr. Salander will be available for interviews.
BIOS:
Ms. Christie Brinkley h as been an internationally-celebrated and respected model, author, spokesperson, businesswoman, activist, and philanthropist for over thirty years. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of the Global Security Institute, she is also a founding board member of STAR (Standing for Truth about Radiation) and was instrumental in closing two nuclear reactors at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
The Honorable Gareth Evans is the co-chair the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, organized in 2008 by the Governments of Australia and Japan. Since January 2000, Mr. Evans - the former Foreign Minister of Australia - has been the President of the International Crisis Group.
Ambassador Henrik Salander of Sweden is the Chairman of the Middle Powers Initiative. He has had many pivotal roles in the international debate over nuclear disarmament including in the Non-Proliferation Treaty review process and as Secretary-General of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, chaired by Dr. Hans Blix.
Mr. Hideo Hiraoka, MP, is a member of the Japanese Diet (parliament) and is the Secretary of the Democratic Party of Japan Nuclear Disarmament Group. He is a member of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND), Japan Section.
CONTACT: The Middle Powers Initiative, mpi-ny@gsinstitute.org, 1-646-289-5170
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