Albert Einstein and the problem of war
Although Albert Einstein is best-known as a theoretical physicist, he also spent much of his life grappling with the problem of war.
In 1914, shortly after he moved to Berlin to serve as director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Physics, Einstein was horrified by the onset of World War I. “Europe, in her insanity, has started something unbelievable,” he told a friend. “In such times one realizes to what a sad species of animal one belongs.” Writing to the French author Romain Rolland, he wondered whether “centuries of painstaking cultural effort” have “carried us no further than . . . the insanity of nationalism.”
Read more…[The following statement was issued by IPPNW’s International Council on 5 October, at the conclusion of the 24th World Congress in Nagasaki.]
IPPNW expresses its grave concern at the extreme suffering caused by the large-scale destruction of healthcare and other essential civilian services that is currently occurring in both Gaza and Sudan.
Read more…“All that’s required is political will and leadership”
by Matt Bivens, MD, an emergency medicine attending physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford MA
Terumi Tanaka was 13 years old, at home, reading a book, when the last atomic bomb ever dropped on a city exploded less than 2 miles away.
The flash of bright light startled him, and he threw himself on the ground and covered his ears, just before a shock wave struck. He woke unharmed under debris, self-extricated, and entered the waking nightmare of a wrecked Nagasaki.
Read more…IPPNW World Congress issues Nagasaki Declaration
We have gathered in Nagasaki, as doctors, medical students, and activists, to commemorate the Hibakusha, the victims and survivors of the US atomic bombings here and in Hiroshima 80 years after those terrible events, and the survivors of the more than 2,000 nuclear tests conducted around the world. We recognize and thank the Hibakusha and Nihon Hidankyo, recipients of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, for their life-long dedication to the abolition of nuclear weapons. We are honored by their presence at this Congress. With their example before us, we recommit ourselves to achieving a world free from nuclear weapons.
Read more…A Reflection: Day 1 of IPPNW’s 24th World Congress
by Saurav Singh, Student Member of the Russian Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
The first day of the 24th IPPNW World Congress commenced on October 2, 2025. The proceedings began with an opening ceremony featuring introductory speeches from key figures who have significantly contributed to the organization. This was followed by a keynote video address by High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu Under Secretary General at the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs. The central themes from these opening remarks emphasized that the role of medical science extends to public health advocacy beyond clinical settings and that collective action amplifies impact. A sense of urgency was conveyed to inherit the mission of peace and strive towards a future with “no more Hiroshima, no more Nagasaki.”
Read more…There is no coming back from nuclear war
[IPPNW Co-President Carlos Umaña delivered the opening address to the 24th World Congress in Nagasaki on 2 October. The complete text of his remarks follows.]
We gather in this city of memory and resilience—as physicians, scholars, and advocates—united by our unwavering dedication to peace. Not a passive peace, but one rooted in justice, evidence, and collective responsibility. A peace that demands courage. Nagasaki is not just a place on the map. It is a moral compass. Eighty years ago, this city bore witness to the catastrophic consequences of nuclear war. Today, it calls us to conscience. It reminds us that silence is complicity, and that remembrance must be paired with action.
Read more…[The 24th IPPNW World Congress takes place in Nagasaki from 2-4 October. Following is an account of a trip to Hiroshima and Nagasaki by IPPNW’s Norwegian affiliate and other Norwegian activists in August to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombings of those cities.]
by Knut Mork Skagen
August 6, Hiroshima
I have travelled from Norway together with colleagues from IPPNW Norway, ICAN, and two of our labour politicians, one MP and one representative from the Workers’ Youth League (AUF). Japan has just had its hottest July on record, and Hiroshima is heavy with humidity and heat. The climate-nuclear nexus is on full display.
Read more…Cycling for world peace from Hiroshima to Nagasaki
[What follows is a day-by-day account of the 542-kilometer IPPNW Bike Tour from Hiroshima to Nagasaki, in advance of the 24th IPPNW World Congress, which opens in Nagasaki on 1 October with a Student Congress and leadership meetings. The reports were posted each day by Dr. Bimal Khadka, an IPPNW board member from Nepal and a former student leader.]
20 September
21 participants from 9 different countries gathered today in Hiroshima for IPPNW BIKETOUR.
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If one examines Donald Trump’s approach to world affairs since his entry into American politics, it should come as no surprise that he has worked to undermine the United Nations.
The United Nation is based on international cooperation, as well as on what the UN Charter calls “the equal rights . . . of nations large and small.” It seeks to end “the scourge of war” and to “promote social progress” for the people of the world.
Read more…Reflections from Outgoing Student Representatives
by Walusungu (Walu) Mtonga and Stella Ziegler, IPPNW Student Board Members
IPPNW’s student network will hold elections for International Student Representative (ISR) during the upcoming Student Congress in Nagasaki, Japan. Learn more here.
Walu
It’s been an absolute privilege to serve as Co-International Student Representative (ISR) for IPPNW the last 2 and a half years alongside Stella Ziegler, representing the voices of IPPNW students on the international governing board and connecting with students from around the world.
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Bimal Khadka
Bjorn Hilt
Charles K. Johnson
Gunnar Westberg
IPPNW
John Loretz
Lawrence Wittner
Maria Valenti
mollymcgint
Sue Wareham
Tilman Ruff
Tim Wright
Xanthe Hall
IPPNW peace and health blog 