Dhaka, 28 October 2026 — International Youth Change Maker (IYCM) held an awareness session titled “Youth for Peace, Equality and a Nuclear-Free World” for students of Eden Mohila College, Dhaka. The two-hour session took place in the Seminar Room of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Hall on the college campus. It was organised by IYCM’s Dhaka team and coordinated by IYCM member Shakira Sabrin Sorna, and 20 students took part.
Why this session matters
Nuclear weapons remain a serious threat to humanity and international security. They can cause massive loss of life, long-term health problems and lasting environmental damage, as the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki showed. Despite international disarmament efforts, the threat has not gone away.
Young people are key to building a peaceful future, but students rarely get the chance to learn about nuclear weapons and disarmament. This session aimed to give them that chance, and to encourage critical thinking and responsible citizenship.
What the session covered
- Introduction to nuclear weapons: their destructive power and the risks they pose to humanity
- Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945): the human cost of nuclear warfare
- Humanitarian and environmental impact: effects on people, public health, communities and nature
- Nuclear disarmament treaties: the NPT and the TPNW
- Youth in peacebuilding: how young people can support peace, equality and disarmament campaigns
- Interactive discussion: students shared their views on peace and a nuclear-free future
Peace signs, handprints and placards
The students also made their message visible. They drew peace signs on their palms and joined their hands in a circle. They created peace handprint artwork and held hand-made placards reading:
- “Build Peace, Not Bombs — The Youth Are Watching”
- “Equality For All, Nukes For None”
- “No War, Only Peace”
- “No Nukes”
Key outcomes
- Students gained awareness of nuclear weapons and their humanitarian consequences.
- They better understood the historical impact of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
- They were introduced to international disarmament efforts and treaties.
- They were encouraged to think critically about global peace and security.
- They had a chance to share their own thoughts on a nuclear-free world.
