PURPOSE: Observed on March 5th, the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness aims to deepen the global public’s understanding about how disarmament efforts contribute to enhancing peace and security, to prevent and end armed conflicts, and to curb human suffering caused by weapons. The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) is convinced that education is one of the crucial 'missing pieces' of global security. This Disarmament Forum is dedicated to an exploration of previous education initiatives and potential future directions. We have taken a broad approach to this theme, looking at both peace education and disarmament education, formal education initiatives and non-formal ones.
FORUM: "Designing a World without Nuclear Weapons." International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness 2026. Since the founding of the United Nations, the goals of multilateral disarmament and arms limitation have been central to the Organization’s efforts to maintain international peace and security. Weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons, continue to be of primary concern, owing to their destructive power and the threat that they pose to humanity. The excessive accumulation in conventional weapons and the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons jeopardizes international peace and security and sustainable development, while the use of explosive weapons in populated areas is seriously endangering civilians. New and emerging weapon technologies, such as autonomous weapons, pose a challenge to global security and have received increased attention from the international community in recent years. Why Do You think disarmament is important?; Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #IDDNPA, #Disarmament, #disarmamentawarenessday, #5march, #nonproliferationawarenessday,#VCS, #peaceandsecurity.
EVENTS: Find below the events open to the public, both hybrid and in-person events, along with the way to register.
Interactive Exhibit on Military Expenditure.
Monday, March 2nd, 2026, Starting at 1:30 PM CET. In-person attendance in the Rotunda of the UN Vienna International Centre.
From 2 to 6 March, the Rotunda of the Vienna International Centre (VIC) will host an interactive “ballot-box” installation inviting visitors to cast their vote on global spending priorities. With global military expenditures having reached a record of $2.7 trillion in 2024, this installation creates a space to reflect on how resources are allocated — and how they could be redirected toward sectors such as education, health and climate action. The installation will open on 2 March at 1:30 PM CET with welcoming remarks by the Permanent Representative of Kyrgyzstan, the Chief of the UNODA Vienna Office and Olamide Samuels (ONN), followed by a performance by the UN Choir and a reception.
Accessing the legacy of the Special Sessions of the General Assembly devoted to Disarmament.
Tuesday, 3 March 2026, starting at 9 am EST. Hybrid event with in-person attendance on the 15th Floor of the Secretariat Building, Room 1520**. Register to participate!
The United Nations General Assembly has held three Special Sessions on Disarmament (SSOD), which fundamentally shaped the disarmament architecture and the subsequent discussions within it. Despite repeated calls since 1995, including recently in the Pact for the Future, a fourth special session remains elusive. This event examines the lasting impact of these sessions and explores a critical question: can the international community overcome current divisions to convene SSOD-IV?
Implications of the Secretary-General’s Report on Military Expenditure for Asia and the Pacific.
Thursday, 5 March – 10:15 am UTC +5:45 (Nepal Time) – virtual event. Register to participate!
This virtual briefing will discuss the United Nations Secretary-General’s report on military expenditure, “The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future.” Participants will hear key findings from the report and learn from regional experts about what they mean for peace, security, and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific. This briefing is the first session of UNRCPD’s 2026 regional briefing series and is open to a general audience, including academia, think tanks, civil society and youth, and interested members of the public.
Launch of UNODA Occasional Paper No. 47 – Revisiting Consensus in Multilateral Disarmament Discussions: Trends, Challenges and the Way Forward. On Thursday, from 5 March to 3:00 PM EST - In-Person attendance in the First Floor Reading Room of the Dag Hammarskjöld Library* Registration to participate!
The Occasional Papers series was developed to give wider dissemination of input from expert panels and seminars, sponsored by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA). In this Occasional Paper, Adedeji Ebo (Director and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs) and Katherine Prizeman (Political Affairs Officer in UNODA's Science, Technology and International Security Unit) explore the role that consensus has played in specific, recent disarmament discussions and offer some recommendations on the way forward. Read Occasional Paper No. 47.
Interactive Exhibit on Military Expenditure – Thursday, 5 March – Afternoon. In-person attendance at Schwedenplatz, Vienna..
A second edition of the interactive “ballot-box” installation will take place at Schwedenplatz, in the afternoon, bringing the conversation beyond the United Nations and into the public square. Open to all, the exhibit invites participants to cast their ballots on where global spending priorities should lie.
SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS: Targeted at the youth.
The UN Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) Meets with Students from Togo. On 5 March, the UN Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) will convene with high school students from the Sacré-Coeur Avépozo Institute to discuss small arms and light weapons and autonomous weapons systems. This represents a key moment to mobilize Togolese youth against illicit arms proliferation and towards a safer future!; Follow along on X @odaunrec!
The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs Meets with Students from Hiroshima, Japan. On the sideline of the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness, on 6 March, UNODA will convene with high school students from Hiroshima to discuss the Office’s work. Youth lead the way in advancing disarmament and peacebuilding efforts! *A VIC Grounds Pass is required to attend this event. **A UNHQ Grounds Pass is required to attend this event.
TRAINING: Enroll in the Gender and disarmament courses - UN Women training centre.
PODCASTS: Today, the number of nuclear weapons held in stockpiles around the world remains at around 13,000 — more than enough to destroy our planet many times over at a time when risk of use is at its highest since the Cold War. Listen to audio-podcasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: Nuclear, chemical, biological, and unpredictable autonomous and other indiscriminate weapon systems have no place in our world. Designing a World without Nuclear Weapons. Explore the 2026 Campaign postcards and Get the communication materials!
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
HOW TO GET INVOLVED!
PARTNERSHIPS
Through resolution A/RES/77/51, the United Nations General Assembly establish March 5th as International Day for Disarmament and Non-proloferation awareness to raise awareness on Disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons. In 2018, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres launched Securing our Common Future: An Agenda for Disarmament, outlining a vision of disarmament actions that help set our world on a path towards sustainable peace and security for all. The Secretary-General called for fresh perspectives and renewed cooperation, against the backdrop of a deteriorating international security environment, new risks and unfulfilled commitments. His Agenda for Disarmament defines four key pillars with practical measures to be achieved through stronger partnerships and unwavering determination:
Disarmament that saves humanity by endeavouring for a world free of nuclear weapons, strengthening norms against other weapons of mass destruction, and preventing the emergence of new domains of strategic competition and conflict.
Disarmament that saves lives by mitigating the humanitarian impact of conventional arms and addressing the excessive accumulation and illicit trade.
Disarmament for future generations by ensuring responsible innovation and use of advances in science and technology, keeping humans in control of weapons and artificial intelligence, and ensuring peace and stability in cyberspace.
Strengthening partnerships for disarmament by reinvigorating disarmament institutions and processes, engaging regional organisations, ensuring the full and equal participation of women, empowering youth as a force for change, and enhancing participation by civil society and engagement by the private sector.
Commemorate the International Day, including through all means of educational and public awareness-raising activities.
Showcase the linkage between disarmament and development supported in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Promote better awareness and understanding of disarmament issues among the public, especially young people.
Urge leaders to take steps to strengthen the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime — including the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Reflect on efforts to maintain international peace and security.
Investigate on the excessive accumulation in conventional weapons and the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.
The Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament further recognises the important contribution of disarmament and arms control to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Agenda for Disarmament addresses six different Sustainable Development Goals through nine actions. Disarmament and arms control remain inextricably connected with development in a multitude of ways, providing a unique opportunity to advance both the implementation of the SDGs and the Agenda for Disarmament.
The International Day for Disarmament and Non-proloferation awareness is co-organized by the United Nations Security Council, United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Member States, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), the First Committee of the General Assembly (Disarmament and International Security), the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, the Disarmament Commission, the Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters, the 1540 Committee (Committee to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons and their means of delivery), the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), the International Atomic Energy Agency, the CTBTO Preparatory Commission, the organizations of the United Nations system, civil society organizations, academia, the media and individuals.