On 15 – 26 March 2021, the VCDNP held its twenty-first intensive short course on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament for diplomats and practitioners. In a virtual format, the VCDNP welcomed 37 participants from government agencies, embassies and permanent missions, as well as academic institutions from 33 countries. Women made up 51 percent of the participants, and 70 percent of the lectures included women speakers.
The ten-day course covered a wide range of non-proliferation and disarmament topics, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and its review process, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and nuclear safeguards, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and its verification regime, international norms and humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, nuclear-weapon-free zones (NWFZs), and the status and future of nuclear arms control. The program also featured two case studies, on Iran’s nuclear program and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear program.
Along with lectures, the course program included panel discussions, informal conversations, and a participant social. Experts from international organizations, think tanks and academia shared their knowledge and views during the course, including Diego Cándano (Stimson Center), Dr. Mohammad Hassan Daryaei (CTBTO), Dr. Marc Humphrey (IAEA), Kathleen Lawand (ICRC), Therese Renis (IAEA), Laura Rockwood (Open Nuclear Network), Dr. Nina Tannenwald (Brown University), Cristina Varriale (Royal United Services Institute), and Dr. Wilfred Wan (UN Institute for Disarmament Research). The VCDNP lecturers included Ingrid Kirsten, Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova, Elena Sokova, and Dr. Nikolai Sokov.
The participants also had an opportunity to benefit from three timely panel discussions. The first one focused on the upcoming Tenth NPT Review Conference and featured Ambassador Socorro Flores Liera (Mexico), Ambassador Aidan Liddle (United Kingdom), and Ambassador Ann-Sofie Nilsson (Sweden). The speakers in the second panel discussion, Dr. Nikolai Sokov (VCDNP), Dr. Tong Zhao (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace), and Dr. Pia Fuhrhop (IFSH Hamburg), discussed the US, Russian, Chinese, and European perspectives on the priorities for, and the future of, arms control. The last panel discussion, featuring Angela Kane (VCDNP) and Ambassador Benno Laggner (Switzerland), was dedicated to the state of disarmament diplomacy and the future of multilateralism.
During the alumni session, the course participants were able to “meet” their colleagues that attended previous VCDNP short courses. Past course participants generously shared their experiences working on nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction-related issues in Vienna and Geneva. To further facilitate interaction during the course, the program included online polls, quizzes, and designated discussion sessions with breakout rooms.
At the end of the course, the participants completed an anonymous questionnaire to evaluate the short course and provide feedback on its content and organization. In general, the participants assessed the course as very useful for their professional development. Below are some of the comments provided by participants (quoted as written):
“I feel that any diplomat should be able to follow this course at certain point in their careers because it helps broaden the scope of understanding of international relations and geopolitics, and also to know the multiple layers that interact in the field of nuclear non-proliferation.
“The course features excellent speakers from various background, including [academics] as well as diplomats. This approach provides balance in discussion.”
“Comprehensiveness was really helpful. I am working especially in the area of arms control and disarmament and had relatively less knowledge of proliferation or peaceful uses. Now I can see “disarmament” issues in the broader context.”
“The course is organized in such a way that you are able to pay attention during the whole duration of the lectures. The lectures were all of very high level, so it really is a privilege to be able to have their insights in all the topics. I also think the team from the VCDNP are very dynamic and feel very open to the participants, which helps to feel in an open environment. The use of Mentí was also really nice because it allowed engagement during some parts of the lecture.”
The VCDNP extends its gratitude to the Government of Norway, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for their generous support that made this course possible.
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