United Nations Headquarters, New York
Overview
This annual High-level Meeting of the General Assembly commemorates and promotes the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
Achieving global nuclear disarmament is the highest disarmament priority of the United Nations. It was the subject of the General Assembly’s first resolution in 1946, which established the Atomic Energy Commission (dissolved in 1952), with a mandate to make specific proposals for the control of nuclear energy and the elimination of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction.
Background
The United Nations has long been at the forefront of diplomatic efforts to advance nuclear disarmament. Yet today, an estimated 12,000+ nuclear weapons remain, and many countries possessing them have well-funded, long-term plans to further modernize their nuclear arsenals.
Meanwhile, the doctrine of nuclear deterrence persists as an element in the security policies of possessor States and many of their allies. Frustration has been growing amongst many United Nations Member States regarding what is perceived as the slow pace of nuclear disarmament.
Each year, the General Assembly marks 26 September as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. The Day is an occasion for the world community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament as a priority, and provides an opportunity to educate the public – and world leaders – about the real benefits of eliminating nuclear weapons, as well as the social and economic costs of perpetuating them. Through these activities, the Day aims to mobilize new international efforts towards achieving the common goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.
Documents
Take part
Member States and observers
Inscription on the list of speakers is through the , open since 27 August 2026, on a first-come, first-served basis with priority given by level of representation.
Civil society
Registration for civil society representatives, through the civil society page for the meeting, closed on 16 August 2026.
Watch
The meeting is webcast on UN Web TV. The President’s statement and the outcome of the meeting will be posted on this page once issued.
High-Level Week
The 81st Session will be rich with milestone events that will test our collective resolve — from addressing the existential threats of sea-level rise, to pandemic preparedness, to commemorating the Right to Development at forty, nuclear disarmament, and the Durban legacy at twenty-five. Each is more than a date on a calendar. Each is an opportunity to demonstrate that multilateralism can deliver concrete results.
H.E. Dr. Khalilur Rahman
Vision statement
