KEYNOTE ADDRESS PRESENTED AT THE SEMINAR ON PALESTINIAN JUSTICE ADVOCACY SEMINAR FOR SENIOR CHRISTIAN MINISTERS. Monday 21st July 2014 at Baptist Conference Room, Obanikoro Lagos, By Rev. Dr. Princess A.Y. Akitoye- Braimoh, Senior Special Assistant, Religion (Christian), To the Governor of Lagos State

Your Grace, Archbishop Kehinde Stephen,
Conference Presidents,
Archbishops and Bishops,
Conference Chairmen,
Deans & Proto Presbyters,
Venerables, Overseers, Moderators, Canons, Presbyters and
District Pastors

Beloved Senior Ministers,

We are gathered here to reflect on the plight of our Christian brothers and Sisters in the land of Palestine. We need to discuss, Pray and know the depth of PALESTINIAN CHRISTIAN' challenges and possibly consider a faith-based JUSTICE PILGRIMAGE. Permit me to remind us that advocacy and education of this nature with the slogan "Apartheid is a crime against humanity"  metamorphosized into freedom for South Africans. Each drop of water makes a difference in any experience of flood. We must keep educating our members that there are Christians in the land of Palestine whose cry must be heard.

Today history is made and barriers are broken, the essence of universal Church without racial barrier and demarcation of national sovereignty is proclaimed that Palestinians are our brothers and sisters and their cry for justice must be echoed. A justice Pilgrimage is part of the ways to move forward.

Let us rise from this seminar holding today in the conference room of Lagos East Baptist Conference to proclaim that our heavenly Father loves justice. King Solomom's conclusion is this," To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than Sacrifice". ( Provebs 21:3 KJV).

Apart from justice and pilgrimage, I equally believe that this advocacy will propel interfaith dialogue and understanding between religions to the extent that, all mankind will have religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence. This is one of the hallmarks of the Lagos State Government under His Excellency Babatunde Fashola (SAN)

Finally, I appreciate all your lordships and participants. May God bless your deliberations.

Thank You.

upcoming event

July 21, 2014:

 Kairos Nigeria is organizing an awareness programme to build support and inspire action on- statement towards a Nuclear –free World, approved by the WCC central committee, 2-8 July 2014. This event will have over 50 religious leaders in attendance and we shall also use the Resource Guide on Nuclear disarmament for religious leaders and communities- by The Religions for Peace. Venue is Lagos Central Baptist Conference Hall, Obanikoro, Lagos, Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm.

 Outcome will be posted.

Government statements in favour of a nuclear weapons ban July 2014 – compiled by ICAN

Government statements in favour of a nuclear weapons ban

July 2014 – compiled by ICAN

Afghanistan	“We join all peace-loving people in their call for a global treaty to outlaw and eliminate these instruments of human destruction.”	November 2012
Argentina	“Argentina supports the efforts of the international community to move towards the negotiation of a universal legally binding instrument banning nuclear weapons.”	September 2013
Austria	“Nuclear weapons should be stigmatized, banned and eliminated before they abolish us.”	September 2013
Burundi	“[Burundi] solemnly expresses its readiness ... to further work out a robust road map or action plan on totally banning nuclear weapons.”	February 2014
Chile	“Given the catastrophic consequences of the use of nuclear weapons, we must work to create a new international treaty explicitly prohibiting their use and possession, without any exceptions.”	February 2014
Colombia	“We insist on the urgency of an international legally binding instrument that prohibits the development, production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons.”	May 2010
Comoros	“My delegation hopes that we are going to increase our cohesion and determination to fight for the prohibition of these weapons, which are a permanent threat to humanity.”	February 2014
Costa Rica	“[T]he humanitarian approach must be the spearhead through which we focus our efforts towards negotiations on an instrument banning nuclear weapons.”	February 2014
Côte d’Ivoire	“My country is open to all new initiatives that seek the prohibition of nuclear weapons.”	February 2014
Cuba	“Cuba gives special priority to nuclear disarmament and highlights the need to adopt a legally binding international instrument that completely prohibits nuclear weapons.”	April 2013
Ecuador	“The only option is to eradicate this threat through the complete prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons.”	April 2013
El Salvador	“[W]e hope to deepen our understanding and develop more specific proposals for attaining concrete results, including the negotiation of an international legal instrument to abolish nuclear weapons.”	February 2014
Fiji	“Nuclear weapons should be totally banned.”	March 2013
Ghana	“Ghana believes that among the variously advanced bases for the elimination of nuclear weapons, their humanitarian impact is the strongest and most compelling. We will continue to support this justification at any relevant forum as one of the most legitimate bases for a convention banning the production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons by any state.”	February 2014
Guatemala	“We consider it very important to create a legally binding instrument to ban nuclear weapons globally.”	February 2014
Holy See	“Let us use the momentum of this conference [Nayarit] to launch a programme of action to begin the process of developing a global ethical norm and a legal ban on all nuclear weapons.”	February 2014
Jamaica	“The indiscriminate negative and calamitous impact on public health, the environment, food security, infrastructure, economic growth and sustainable development is most alarming and underscores the urgent need for a ban on these weapons.”	April 2014
Jordan	“[Jordan] joins the calls for the early start of negotiations on a legally binding instrument to ban nuclear weapons.”	February 2014
Kenya	“It is the conviction of Kenya that it is time states considered a legal ban on nuclear weapons, even if nuclear-armed states refuse to participate.”	October 2013
Kiribati	“It is unacceptable that the deadliest weapons of all – nuclear weapons – are the only weapons of mass destruction not yet expressly prohibited by an international convention. A treaty banning the use, manufacture and possession of nuclear weapons is long overdue ... there is a clear humanitarian imperative for us to start negotiations.”	February 2014
Kuwait	“A ban treaty on nuclear weapons would complement existing international law.”	March 2013
Lebanon	“We hope that there will be a universal treaty adopted in the near future to outlaw and eliminate all nuclear weapons.”	February 2011
Malawi	“Malawi realizes the fact that it is the duty and the responsibility of states and governments to take up the humanitarian discourse, and start negotiations for a multilateral legally binding instrument that will ban the production, testing, use and stockpiling of nuclear weapons.”	February 2014
Malaysia	“The growing support on this issue must now be translated into meaningful action towards a treaty to outlaw and eliminate nuclear weapons.”	February 2014
Mexico	“I reiterate the strong support of my government for achieving a global treaty to ban and eliminate nuclear weapons.”	July 2013
Mongolia	“One of the most urgent issues that needs to be addressed is the banning of nuclear weapons ... it is high time to start negotiations.”	September 2013
Morocco	“We need to move towards action ... to obtain the noble goal of banning nuclear weapons.”	February 2014
Nicaragua	“[T]here is no doubt that the time has come for mankind and the international community to take the additional step of negotiating a total ban on the use of this type of weapon.”	February 2014
Nigeria	“We are concerned that, till now, there is no international treaty banning these weapons of mass destruction.”	February 2014
Norway	“We are working along several different tracks to achieve the goal of a world without nuclear weapons. We are aiming at a genuine, total ban.”	September 2011
Palau	“Palau believes that the time has come for a new diplomatic process to negotiate a legally binding instrument to ban nuclear weapons – even if the nuclear-armed states are unwilling to join such a process. By banning nuclear weapons outright, we would devalue and stigmatize them, which is necessary if we are to succeed in eliminating them.”	May 2014
Palestine	“We support the objective of banning nuclear weapons and eliminating them within a specified timeframe.”	February 2014
Peru	“It is only through a prohibition on the use and possession of nuclear weapons that we will achieve elimination.”	March 2013
Philippines	“The catastrophic humanitarian impact of any use of nuclear weapons underlines the urgent need for a ban on nuclear weapons.”	October 2013
Qatar	“We hope that we will not wait long before we celebrate a universal treaty for disarmament and the prohibition of nuclear weapons.”	May 2010
Samoa	“[There is an] urgent need to have a treaty banning nuclear weapons given the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons.”	September 2013
Senegal	“We urge states that have not yet done so to amplify the momentum and join the vast movement for a binding international convention totally banning nuclear weapons.”	June 2014
Sierra Leone	“We must ban all research, testing, possession, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons.”	March 2013
South Africa	“A world free from nuclear weapons would require the underpinning of a universal and multilaterally negotiated legally binding instrument that would ban the development, production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons and on their destruction.”	February 2011
Sri Lanka	“We continue to stress that states should move forward towards total elimination and the absolute ban of the nuclear arsenal.”	April 2013
Sudan	“Nuclear weapons should be banned completely and immediately.”	March 2013
Switzerland	“The Swiss government is engaged in pushing for the delegitimization of nuclear weapons as a preparatory step for a ban on nuclear weapons.”	October 2012
Trinidad and Tobago	“We join our region’s consensus on the urgent need to advance towards nuclear disarmament and the complete and general elimination of nuclear weapons, as well as towards the negotiation of a universal and legally binding instrument which prohibits their use.”	February 2014
Ukraine	“Ukraine supports the early start of negotiations on ... a convention on the prohibition of nuclear weapons.”	September 2013
United Arab Emirates	“The strong consensus of the international community on the troubling humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons should further be highlighted to facilitate a process of disarmament based on banning the use and ownership of nuclear weapons.”	May 2013
Vanuatu	“I wish to show my full support ... for a common effort to outlaw and eliminate nuclear weapons to ensure the safety of humankind around the world.”	October 2012
Zambia	“It is for our good and the good of the future generations to ban this indiscriminate weapon. Clearly, there is no benefit to humanity of having or developing nuclear weapons ... We reiterate our call to completely and totally ban nuclear weapons.”	May 2013

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