Honouring the Past, Advancing Disarmament, and Building a Peaceful Future
On June 24th,we hosted an international webinar marking 80 years since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We deeply thank all our speakers and participants. Their heartfelt reflections and thoughtful engagement brought depth and a strong sense of shared purpose. As we commemorate 80 years since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this collective effort renews our commitment to nuclear disarmament and lasting peace.
“80 Years of Memory and Action: Honouring the Past, Advancing Disarmament, and Building a Peaceful Future” brought together voices from across the Pax Christi movement and our partners in the wider peace and disarmament community. Through testimonies, reflections, and shared witness, we explored the enduring impact of nuclear weapons and the urgent call to disarmament grounded in nonviolence and human dignity.
The Tablet featured this webinar in “News Briefing: Church in the World”. Read here.
This webinar featured speakers from across the Pax Christi movement (Pax Christi Korea, Pax Christi USA, Pax Christi Italia, Pax Christi Scotland) and our partners in the disarmament field. We were pleased to welcome contributions from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), whose leadership and advocacy continue to inspire the global movement for nuclear abolition.
The webinar took place in the wake of several important global events, including the Fourth Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), the 2025 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), Disarmament Week, and the Eighth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who participated, contributed, and supported this webinar. Your presence, insights and passion reaffirm our shared mission to honour the past, advance disarmament and build a peaceful future for all.
Watch the recording here:
Speakers
Moderator: Jonathan Frerichs, PCI International Representative UN Geneva
Welcome and Opening Prayer
- Martha Inés Romero, PCI Secretary General
- Bishop (em.) Marc Stenger, PCI Co-President
- Sr. Teresia Wamuyu Wachira, PCI Co-President
“Memory and Moral Responsibility Now: 80 Years After Hiroshima and Nagasaki”
- Sr. Filo Hirota, Catholic Nonviolence Initiative steering committee, Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz
- Anselmo Lee, Founding Co-President, Pax Christi Korea (PCK)
- Nicholas Mele, Senior Adviser on Nuclear Disarmament, Pax Christi USA
- Bishop Brian McGee, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles
“Disarmament and the Role of Civil Society Today”
- Florian Ebelenkamp, Advocacy Officer, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
“Echoes of Peace: Testimonies from the Ground”
- Marian Pallister, Pax Christi Scotland Chair, Pax Christi Scotland
- Marhegane Godefroid, PCI Board Member, Peace Maker in DRC
- Franco Dinelli, President of the “Social economic studies center for peace”, Pax Christi Italy
Get to know the Speakers
Jonathan Frerichs
PCI International Representative UN GenevaJonathan Frerichs
Jonathan Frerichs is Pax Christi International’s disarmament representative at the UN in Geneva. He previously served as a program executive and consultant for the World Council of Churches. His diverse experience includes roles as reporter, producer, teacher, and executive for faith-based organizations like Lutheran World Relief, WHO, and Middle East Council of Churches. His work focuses on peace, human security, disarmament, development, and environmental issues.
Filo Hirota
Catholic Nonviolence Initiative | Mercedarian Missionaries of BerrizFilo Hirota
Filo Hirota worked with the Federation of Asian Bishops Conference and the Catholic Council for Justice and Peace of Japan in the 1980s, and served in missions in Nicaragua and Mexico in the 1990s. Later, I was General Councilor for JPIC in Rome and Regional Coordinator in Japan. Until 2018, I served at our Generalate in Rome. I’m now based in Tokyo, continuing work with CCJP and the Catholic Initiative for Nonviolence.
Anselmo Lee
Founding Co-President of Pax Christi Korea (PCK)Anselmo Lee
Anselmo Lee is the founding Co-President of Pax Christi Korea and Co-Convener of the Catholic Peace Forum. With 30+ years of experience, he has led Catholic and civil society efforts for human rights, peace, and development. He served as Secretary General of Pax Romana–ICMICA and Executive Director of FORUM-ASIA. Currently, he teaches global governance and serves on the Ecology Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea.
Nick Mele
Senior Adviser on Nuclear Disarmament | Pax Christi USANick Mele
A former U.S. diplomat, Nick Mele retired to pursue peace beyond government. He has since worked with Pax Christi USA, including as its representative to the Inter-Religious Conference on Article 9. Since 2014, he has advised Pax Christi USA and International on nuclear issues and co-founded its Disarmament Working Group. Based in Western Washington, he also promotes nuclear abolition and raises awareness among U.S. Catholics about related issues.
Florian Ebelenkamp
Advocacy Officer | International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)Florian Ebelenkamp
Florian supports ICAN’s work in Nuclear Umbrella states and partners globally to advance the TPNW. He strengthens the ICAN Parliamentary Pledge and Cities Appeal, maintaining ties with parliamentarians and civil society. Florian contributes to advocacy strategies, media, and outreach. He holds degrees in International Relations, Public Policy, and Political Data Journalism, enabling data-driven analysis. His experience includes internships with the European Commission, German Ministry for Development Cooperation, and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
Rt. Rev. Brian Thomas McGee
Bishop of Argyll and the IslesRt. Rev. Brian Thomas McGee
Bishop Brian McGee, born in Greenock to Irish parents, was ordained in 1989 for the Diocese of Paisley. He served in various parishes and chaplaincies, later becoming Vicar General. In 2016, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Argyll and the Isles. He holds degrees in Philosophy, Theology, and Christian Spirituality. Bishop Brian is Vice-President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland and leads work on safeguarding, SCIAF, interreligious dialogue, and synodality.
Marian Pallister
Pax Christi Scotland ChairMarian Pallister
Marian Pallister is a Scottish author, journalist, and former communications lecturer. She reported from conflict zones like the Balkans and Cambodia, and disaster-hit areas such as Mozambique. Her work across deprived African regions deepened her commitment to peace and nonviolence. Scotland’s role in hosting the UK’s nuclear submarine base fuels her nuclear disarmament advocacy. She chairs Pax Christi Scotland and volunteers with Justice and Peace Scotland.
Marhegane Godefroid
PCI Board Member, Peace Maker in DRCMarhegane Godefroid
Retired from OCHA in 2014, Godefroid Marhegane is DRC-based humanitarian has over 40 years of experience in education, humanitarian coordination, and advocacy. He served with Oxfam GB, MERLIN, CARE Ottawa, and led CADRE until 2023. A Pax Christi International board member since 2022, he played a key role in the DRC’s ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. He continues to advocate for peace, women’s rights, and nuclear disarmament.
Franco Dinelli
Pax Christi ItalyFranco Dinelli
Franco Dinelli, holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science from Oxford and has been a researcher at Italy’s National Research Council since 2001. A member of Pax Christi Italy since 2002, he coordinated its Central Italy area and served on Pax Christi International’s board. Since 2022, he has led Pax Christi Italy’s Center for Economic-Social Studies for Peace and teaches disarmament at the University of Pisa. He joined the Union of Disarmament Scientists in 2015.
God bless all those wonderful knowledgeable and well I formed speakers. This will be a most memorable and important meeting.