Des Moines and Pittsburgh Hold Unique Treaty Events

A car caravan circled past the participants rallying in downtown Des Moines several times, horns honking. All photos by Jon Kreig, WILPF member and AFSC organizer.

February 2021

Des Moines Holds Car Caravan and Rally at Civic Center

By Jan Corderman
Des Moines Branch

Declaring “Enough is Enough!” to highlight the $67,352 that the U.S. spends on nuclear weapons each minute, Des Moines WILPFers held a car caravan and rallied at a busy downtown intersection near the Civic Center. We distributed fact sheets that were created by our branch to passersby.  

Following a decade of advocacy by WILPF and its partners, an overwhelming majority of the world’s nations adopted a landmark global agreement to ban nuclear weapons and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) then opened for signatures. The Des Moines Branch and friends joined branches across the US Section to celebrate the entering into force of the TPNW with a rally and a car caravan.

Our ask of folks who stopped by was that they contact President Biden and our state’s congressional reps and ask them to show courage and boldness in pushing the United States to sign on to the Treaty. The billions thrown away on nuclear weapons could instead be funding supplies and research needed to help people here and around the world to fight COVID-19.

The event was highlighted when an op-ed by WILPFers Bob Brammer and Tom Leffler was printed by the Des Moines Register.

The Treaty’s coming into force provided an opportunity to invite others to join us to urge Biden to fulfill his pledge to reduce the threat of nuclear disaster…and to lead the effort to eliminate nuclear weapons completely!

Pictures of WILPF Pittsburgh branch events held on January 22 were taken by Mary King and Susan Smith.

Pittsburgh WILPF Organizes Watch Party and Joins Protest at PNC Bank

By Susan Smith
Pittsburgh Branch

Celebrating the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Entry into Force on January 22, 2021, WILPF Pittsburgh organized a watch party of The Beginning of the End of Nuclear Weapons with nine cosponsors. Over 95 people attended from places such as Pittsburgh, San Diego, Fresno, Idaho, Toronto, Oslo, and even Australia.

After viewing the documentary, groups shared a little about themselves and suggested next steps. Participants also had ample time to share comments about the film and ideas for moving forward toward the elimination of all nuclear weapons. 

Also, earlier in the day, WILPF Pittsburgh was one of the co-sponsors of a Stop Banking the Bomb event. About 25 participants gathered outside PNC Bank’s Pittsburgh headquarters. A letter was delivered to the CEO demanding they stop investing in companies that build, use, or design nuclear weapons. The letter included a copy of TPNW. After several spirited speeches, participants marched around the building in protest – with signs, masks, and social distancing.