Corporate Body
International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (2006 - )
- From
- 2006
- Alternative Names
- ICAN (Acronym)
Summary
A group of peace activists, scientists, doctors, and environmentalists from Melbourne launched ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, in April 2007, and in 10 years broke through the barriers of half a century of failure. Their efforts to create and negotiate a UN treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons saw them awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017.
Details
Australia's 2017 Nobel Peace Prize was won by ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, an effort launched in Melbourne in 2007, and a unique confluence of activists - scientists, peace activists, environmentalists, and doctors - banding together.
They included Associate Professor Tilman Ruff OAM, David Sweeney, Dimity Hawkins AM, Dr Bill Williams, and Sue Wareham who took up an idea that had been proposed by their Malaysian colleague Dr Ronald McCoy.
Related entries
Published resources
Book Sections
- Anon, 'Banning the bomb: ICAN - International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (2006-); Nobel Peace Prize 2017' in Australia's Nobel Laureates. vol III : state of our innovation nation : 2021 and beyond (Roseville, New South Wales: One Mandate Group, 2021), pp. 164-174 : colour illustrations, colour portraits, https://publications.innovatia.au/view/404883545/168/. Details
Gavan McCarthy
Created: 14 November 2025