Kitabistan has become a partner of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The decision coincides with the 80th anniversary of the first use of nuclear weapons.

Founded in 2007, ICAN’s main goal is the complete prohibition of nuclear weapons. As a result of ICAN’s advocacy, the United Nations has adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2017, and in recognition of this historic achievement, the campaign was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize the same year.

ICAN is a global coalition that brings together hundreds of non-governmental organizations worldwide, all working toward the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Through its advocacy efforts, the campaign draws the attention of the international community to the fact that nuclear weapons pose a planetary threat with catastrophic humanitarian consequences.

“Kitabistan could not remain a mere spectator of the nuclear threat that keeps humanity under fear.”

Kitabistan’s co-founder, Shahriyar Majidzade, stated that Kitabistan’s partnership with ICAN comes at a time when, in 2025, the nuclear threat has reached its most critical point since the Cold War, and the Doomsday Clock is set to 89 seconds to midnight:

“80 years is a long enough period for us to be able to reconsider everything. As the world community marks the 80th anniversary of the first testing and use of nuclear weapons, we, unfortunately, also witnessed wars between nuclear-armed nations. Today, the nuclear threat has become a political rhetoric, and this is very frightening. It feels as if the world has returned to the Cold War era. But now, we see that we are facing greater dangers and more terrible challenges. This has reminded us once again of our responsibility."

"The setting of the Doomsday Clock to 89 seconds to midnight was an alarm bell, but unfortunately, not everyone heard this alarm, and not everyone understood the need for urgent mobilization to protect our planet, humanity, and all living beings. Naturally, in such a situation, Kitabistan, an organization working for values such as peace, climate action, gender equality, and enlightenment, could not and did not remain a mere spectator of the nuclear threat—the world's most painful problem that keeps all humanity under constant fear. Therefore, we are pleased to be a partner of ICAN, to join our efforts in the work to ensure the existence of humanity and our planet's future, and we will do our best to contribute to this cause. No living creature should ever again become a victim of nuclear weapons, and the suffering caused by this terrible weapon must not be passed on to future generations.”

“We will contribute to the successful outcome of the common cause.”

Speaking about the necessity of the ICAN partnership, S. Majidzade emphasized that Kitabistan’s involvement in this international campaign demonstrates the organization’s active stance not only in the fields of reading and culture but also in global peace and security issues:

“We once again reaffirm Kitabistan’s commitment to strengthening the culture of peace. We believe that by exchanging knowledge and experience with our international partners, we can further enhance the effectiveness of our efforts in combating this global threat.”

He also stressed the importance of the international community taking a more active role against the nuclear threat and noted that Kitabistan is open to building new partnerships and joint actions for a safer world:

At a time when the world faces serious challenges stemming from the nuclear threat, we highly value ICAN’s recognition of our small contribution to the promotion of peace and express our gratitude to the ICAN International Steering Group for their trust. We are confident that through cooperation and joint efforts, we will contribute to the successful outcome of this common cause.
 

14.11.2025