{"id":637,"date":"2026-01-07T14:56:58","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T12:56:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emmanouilreview.eu\/?p=637"},"modified":"2026-01-07T15:05:50","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:05:50","slug":"the-united-nations-treaty-on-the-prohibition-of-nuclear-weapons-five-years-after-its-entry-into-force-adopted-on-7-july-2017-opened-for-signature-on-20-september-2017-and","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emmanouilreview.eu\/en\/the-united-nations-treaty-on-the-prohibition-of-nuclear-weapons-five-years-after-its-entry-into-force-adopted-on-7-july-2017-opened-for-signature-on-20-september-2017-and\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThe United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons \u2013 Five Years After Its Entry into Force\u201d Adopted on 7 July 2017, opened for signature on 20 September 2017, and entered into force on 22 January 2021. Kostas Foteinakis President of the Board of Directors Hellenic Network \u201cFriends of Nature\u201d \/ Naturefriends Greece"},"content":{"rendered":"

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INTRODUCTION<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Our position is that the greatest threat to the world\u2019s natural and cultural heritage<\/strong> is armaments, wars, and especially weapons of mass ecological, cultural, and social destruction<\/strong>, as nuclear weapons were characterized by the United Nations Treaty on their Prohibition<\/strong>, which entered into force on 22 January 2021<\/strong>\u2014that is, five years ago<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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THE TOPIC<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cThe United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons:
\nFor a Greece, for a Europe, for a World firmly in favor of Peace rather than Fear\u201d<\/strong>
\n\u2014 Its Ethical, Political, and Social Dimension<\/em><\/p>\n

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Immanuel Kant (1724\u20131804)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

The German philosopher Immanuel Kant<\/strong>, two centuries ago, dealt in depth with one of humanity\u2019s most timeless dreams: peace<\/strong>. In his work \u201cPerpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch\u201d<\/em> (1795), which is considered a classic in the history of peace theories, he does not merely speak about the avoidance of wars, but about a permanent and stable condition of peace<\/strong> among people and states.<\/p>\n

In order to properly understand what Kant means by the term \u201cperpetual peace,\u201d we need to take into account his entire philosophical system. In his important work \u201cCritique of Pure Reason\u201d<\/em> (1781), written fifteen years prior to Perpetual Peace<\/em>, Kant examines the limits and possibilities of human thought \u201cas a unity of the conditions of possibility of Freedom, Knowledge, and Morality.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

He shows how Reason functions, what its rules are, and also what illusions it may create. In this way, he radically changed the manner in which human beings perceive themselves and the world.<\/p>\n

The idea of perpetual peace, therefore, is not for Kant a simple political agreement or a legal document. It is a moral duty<\/strong>, an \u201cought\u201d that arises from human Reason itself. Human beings, as rational and free beings, are obliged to pursue the realization of this ideal.<\/p>\n

At the same time, Kant believes that Nature itself<\/strong> also drives human beings in this direction. Through historical development, conflicts, and difficulties, humanity gradually advances toward a final goal: a world in which freedom and peace become reality.<\/p>\n

Kant\u2019s philosophy is characterized by optimism and profound faith in humanity. In a contemporary era full of uncertainty, where ideals are often questioned or distorted, the Kantian vision of perpetual peace serves as a reminder that ideals, however difficult they may seem, remain goals worthy of pursuit.<\/p>\n

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From Kant to Marx<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

We now make a historical and political\u2013social leap in order to encounter Karl Marx (1818\u20131863)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In his essay \u201cTheses on Feuerbach\u201d<\/em> (1845), in the famous 11th Thesis<\/strong>, he argues:<\/p>\n

\u201cPhilosophers have only interpreted the world; the point, however, is to change it.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This thesis of Marx has been widely discussed and, in my opinion, often misinterpreted. Marx does not belittle or subordinate thought, philosophical reflection, and ethical values to action.<\/p>\n

The idea in the 11th Thesis, in my view, is not that action is more important than thought, but that philosophy should provide us with an understanding of why and how society must change<\/strong>. Otherwise, it remains merely a passive interpretation of the existing condition.<\/p>\n

The question today\u2014directly related to our topic\u2014is:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is to be done\u2014for the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons: for a Greece, <\/strong>\u0395urope <\/span><\/strong>and<\/span><\/strong> a world firmly in favor of Peace rather than Fear?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

A first and easy answer is to express general opposition to war. If we do so, it follows that we are against armed conflicts, against armaments, and therefore against nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n

This view is often encountered when we propose that more states ratify the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In reality, most people who put forward the argument \u201cWe are against wars and therefore against nuclear weapons, and there is no need to do anything specific regarding the Treaty of Prohibition\u201d have been shown not to participate anywhere<\/strong>\u2014neither in the anti-war and peace movement, nor therefore in the anti-nuclear movement.<\/p>\n

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WHAT HAVE WE DONE SO FAR AND WHAT MUST WE DO IN THE FUTURE<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n