During the 2017 Science and Technology Conference (SnT2017) of the CTBTO, students, scientist and policy makers from all around the world came to Vienna, Austria, to spread awareness of the CTBT and raise their voices for a peaceful world free of nuclear testing. Among the participants, a delegation of four Mexicans attended the conference to share their ideas and learn from experts, not just about the science and technology behind the Treaty, but also about advocacy and outreach, two pillars of the work of CTBTO.

Two Youth Group (CYG) members, Manuel Garcia and Alan Juarez, were at the conference promoting the Treaty and its entry into force. They were interested in investigating the role of science as a major element of the CTBT negotiations and its importance for the Treaty’s verification regime. Researchers Julieta Sanchez and Erasmo Cano presented their work on global policy and strategic governance for the elimination of nuclear tests.
The Mexican participants at the SnT were also invited to meet the Mexican Ambassador to Austria, Ms. Alicia Buenrostro, who talked about the relations between Mexico and the CTBTO: “Mexico has always been active in the nuclear disarmament negotiations. However, there is a deficit of Mexican citizens in international organizations such as the CTBTO.” The researchers presented their posters to the ambassador, and the CYG members talked about the role of youth in the SnT and the CTBT.

In the meeting were also present Carlos Rodriguez, a CYG member from USA, and Liz Bringas, a Mexican graduate student at the University of Vienna. The participants and the Ambassador showed enthusiasm in continuing to develop projects to spread awareness of the CTBT around the world, but especially in Mexico, they also want to increase the participation of Mexicans in the nuclear field and at CTBTO.
Ambassador Buenrostro expressed her joy and her support to the Mexican CYG members and the young researchers for promoting projects on disarmament and nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. She emphasized the importance of education, especially to children and teenagers, about the mandate of the CTBTO, as well as the work that Mexico has done to ban nuclear tests. “Nuclear disarmament is essential because it involves our survival on earth” she said.

CTBTO Youth Group member Alan Juarez Zuniga,

27 July 2017