Pax Christi International is actively participating in the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), taking place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 27 April to 22 May 2026. 

The Pax Christi International delegation is composed of Mary Yelenick (PCI UN Main Representative, New York), Anthony Donovan (PCI UN Representative, New York), and Sr. Carol Gilbert (Catholic Peace Advocate), who are engaging in advocacy, dialogue, and civil society coordination throughout the Conference. 

The NPT Review Conference, held every five years, is a key moment for governments to assess progress on nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy, at a time of rising geopolitical tensions and renewed arms competition.

 

Our Key Message

The choice before the international community is stark: collective security or collective destruction. 

Pax Christi International calls for renewed urgency and political will to advance nuclear disarmament. The NPT must remain a living commitment to justice, peace, and the elimination of nuclear weapons, not a static framework weakened by inaction. 

Grounded in its faith-based mission, Pax Christi International rejects nuclear deterrence as ethically indefensible and urges a shift toward dialogue, trust, and shared security. 

We highlight the urgent need to: 

  • Reinforce the credibility and integrity of the NPT, including the full implementation of disarmament obligations under Article VI; 
  • Address the growing risks associated with nuclear weapons, including modernisation of arsenals and emerging technologies; 
  • Recognise the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and the lasting harm already experienced by affected communities; 
  • Advance concrete pathways toward disarmament, including stronger support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

     

Engagement at the Conference

Side Event: "Genocide, Omicide, Those Who Profit"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Download the PDF of the Side Event


Pax Christi International is also co-organising, together with Veterans for Peace and Nuclear Age Peace Foundation a side event on May 12th 2026 at 13:00 UN Headquarters, New York time. 

This event explores the links between the global war economy, nuclear weapons production, and ongoing violence, drawing on findings from Francesca Albanese's 2025 report. It highlights how many corporations and institutions involved in nuclear weapons are also connected to broader systems of conflict and profit. 

The discussion examines how these interconnected structures hinder progress under the NPT, limit public accountability, and perpetuate insecurity. It also identifies pathways to challenge these dynamics and advance disarmament, justice, and transparency.


Statements

During the Review Conference, Pax Christi International is contributing to several joint civil society and interfaith initiatives, including: 

  • A Joint NGO Statement titled "NPT Review Conference Must Address the Disarmament Deficit", delivered on 1 May 2026 during the NGO segment: READ IT HERE
  • A Joint Interfaith Statement marking the 11th NPT Review Conference, highlighting the moral and ethical imperative of nuclear disarmament: READ IT HERE
  • The European civil society statement coordinated by ICAN, supported by Pax Christi sections, calling for urgent action to reduce nuclear risks and advance disarmament: READ IT HERE

For Pax Christi International, the NPT Review Conference is not only a diplomatic process: it is a moral test. The international community must act decisively to uphold human dignity, protect our common home, and advance the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

 

Further Resources

For additional analysis and background on the Review Conference, see the Reaching Critical Will NPT Briefing Book, a useful resource for governments and civil society.