5000 Mayors for Peace – One Billion People

Thanks to many of you, we have made it to 5000 members.We now have the opportunity to spread word of this inspiring accomplishment on the International Day of Peace, tomorrow.

I have already written to all member cities as follows:

„I would like to give you advance notice that Mayors for Peace has surmounted the 5000-city membership level. This makes us

• by far the largest international, direct-membership association of local governments in the world;
• we are also, by far, the fastest growing.
• We can all take pride from the fact that cities representing nearly one billion people have taken a stand against the nuclear threat.

To inspire peace activists everywhere, we want to make an internationally coordinated announcement of this accomplishment on the International Dayof Peace, 21st September, …

To that end we have created a Mayors and Citizens Action Kit

(attached and on our website:

www.2020visioncampaign.org/en/goal-5000-members.html

So please join me and your colleagues around the world in celebrating this remarkable milestone.

Please do not hesitate to ask the 2020 Vision Campaign Secretariat for assistance. Additionally, please let us know how you and your citizens marked this occasion. Thank you.“

Whether with or without a City Hall, please use every possible occasion to let the world know that 5000-plus cities have joined forces to end the nuclear threat once and for all.

Best regards,

Luc Dehaene

Chair of the 2020 Vision Campaign Association

Mayor of Ypres

Possibilities for Action

Mayor, whether or not any IDP activity is already being planned, please consider the following activities relating to the 5000+ news:

• Hold a press conference announcing the 5000+ news, or just incorporate the news into your regular press briefings.  You can find some talking points for the media HERE.
• Put out a press release , mentioning when your city affiliated with Mayors for Peace.  Note that the year and month your city was registered with Hiroshima are given in parentheses after the name of your city like so: (‚YE.MO).
• If there is an event already planned in your area, tell the organizers you would like to bring the 5000+ news to the attention of the participants.  For a list of IDP events worldwide, go to the participate page of the IDP. (be advised that it does not provide 100% coverage).  Thetalking points mentioned above should be useful for this, too.  If appropriate, offer City Hall as a venue for the event or future events.

Citizens, if you city is already affiliated with Mayors for Peace,

• please be in touch with your Mayor to find out whether he/she is planning to mark IDP and announce the 5000+ news.  If so,
• offer support; if not, encourage involvement.

If your city is not affiliated with Mayors for Peace, why not use this occasion to challenge the Mayor and City Council to do so, making reference to the 5000+ news.   If they response before IPD, all the preceding suggestions apply!

Please DO NOT think of the IDP as a one-off activity.

• There can be no complacency in the face of the nuclear threat ;
• sustained effort will be required to realize a nuclear-weapon-free world by 2020.

Mayors for Peace is meeting in November to formulate 2020 Vision Campaign plans out to 2015.

We want our plans to complement yours, so please let us know how you are encouraging your government to negotiate the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free world.

Thank you!

Mayors for Peace 2020 Vision Campaign

*Aaron Tovish *

International Director

Ottogasse 17A

3400 Klosterneuburg

AUSTRIA

Phone: +43-2243-30639

E-mail: aaron@2020visioncampaign.org

Website: www.2020visioncampaign.org