AWC's Contributions
For 26 years, AWC, the Association of World Citizens, has been striving to reduce nuclear weapons, prevent the arms race, promote human rights and protect the environment. Working together with UN NGOs, AWC has made many contributions toward world peace.
AWC has members from over fifty countries around the world. These members work with one another closely because they share the same idea. They cross national, religious, political, and racial boundaries, and put enormous efforts into building a better 21st century.
Contributions to peace between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1980's
During the 1980's, Mr. Mattern, President of AWC, visited the Soviet Union eight times. In 1988, peace representatives from many nations went to Moscow to visit the General Secretary at that time, Mr. Gorbachev. They explained the importance of reducing nuclear weapons. Their points of view were appreciated by Mr. Gorbachev, which also indirectly helped to realize the agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union in reducing nuclear weapons. Researchers reported that, after the end of the Cold War in 1990, the defense budget of the United States declined from 25% to 16%, and the government was able to turn its deficit of US $100 billion into a surplus of US $100 billion, which helped to create the U.S. economic prosperity of the past ten years. This achievement is one of the obvious results that peace can bring about.
Nobel Prize recipients endorse the AWC assembly resolution
AWC members from over fifty countries around the world gather common consensus through the World Citizens Assembly (WCA), and draw up concrete plans that will be carried out around the world. The resolutions from the 1978 and 1982 World Citizens Assemblies were endorsed and accepted by over fifty Nobel Prize recipients, which received special announcement at the United Nations.
Recognition from the United Nations
AWC is a non-governmental organization of the United Nations. Currently, AWC is affiliated with the UN Department of Public Information (UN/DPI), and has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (UN/ECOSOC). Many projects that are carried out by AWC representatives to the United Nations are based on past WCA resolutions. Due to AWC's efforts over the years, it is valued by UN/DPI as well as UN/ECOSOC. |
