First Biennial Report of the Secretary-General on Disarmament and Non-proliferation Education

The present report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 57/60, in which the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations study on disarmament and non-proliferation education. It gives information received from Member States, on statements made in the First Committee on activities of the United Nations and other international organizations and by non-governmental organizations. It relates that information to the 34 recommendations made in the United Nations study and should be read in conjunction with them.

Among the many initiatives reported to the Secretary-General, one conceived and carried out by students in N’Guigmi, Niger, in April 2004 stands out. In imitation of the arms collection projects under way by the United Nations Development Programme in their country, students organized a collection not of guns but knives from their fellow students and invited teachers and community members for a symbolic and celebratory Flame of Peace.