Vienna Conversation Series

Marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, this event will take a closer look at the past, present, and future of multilateral disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, and the Women, Peace and Security agenda at a time of global uncertainty. Drawing on her personal and professional experience, Rebecca Jovin, Chief of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs in Vienna, reflects on what disarmament means in practice within the UN system, exploring its history, key achievements, and ongoing humanitarian and security goals. She also discusses some of today's most pressing challenges, from nuclear risk and the erosion of international norms to the impact of conventional weapons on civilians, rising military spending, and the implications of emerging technologies such as autonomy. Lastly, the conversation highlighted why the Women, Peace and Security agenda remains so relevant, before turning to the importance of disarmament education, civic engagement, and practical pathways for young people interested in contributing to this vital field.The event was moderated by Patrick Labuda, Assistant Professor at the Central European University in Vienna. This Vienna Conversation Series event was organized in cooperation with Central European University.

In partnership with the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) organised a hybrid Vienna Conversation Series event on 29 September in the Vienna International Centre, and online, to engage the Vienna-based community in an exchange on the findings and recommendations of the Secretary-General’s Study, “The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future”, and to explore pathways for collective engagement in taking forward the recommendations therein. Global military spending continues to surge. In 2024, estimated global military expenditure rose for the 10th consecutive year, reaching $2.7 trillion - an increase of 9.4% and the steepest year-on-year increase since at least 1988.  Following the Pact for the Future, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to “provide analysis on the impact of the global increase in military expenditure on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by the end of the seventy-ninth session”. Published in September 2025, the report is the result of extensive consultations and comprehensive research into the impact of military expenditure on various dimensions of development, including key areas such as healthcare, education, economic growth, employment, gender equality, innovation, environmental sustainability and peace.  

The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) at Vienna, in partnership with the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP), organised a Vienna Conversation Series Event with Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. As we mark the significant milestone of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, as well as the anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world is witnessing significant strain on the multilateral non-proliferation and disarmament architecture and a resurgence in geopolitical tensions among States. The Vienna community engaged in a conversation with Ms. Nakamitsu, to examine opportunities and challenges for international peace and security, including prolonged armed conflicts, emerging technologies, erosion of longstanding norms, and the recent Pact of the Future. Moderated by Ms. Elena Sokova, Executive Director of the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, Ms. Nakamitsu discussed these different developments and their implications.

On 18 March 2025, the UNODA Vienna Office, in partnership with the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations in Vienna, hosted an interactive panel discussion titled “Youth as Agents of Change: Empowering young people to achieve disarmament goals.” This edition of the Vienna Conversation Series commemorated the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness (IDDNPA), observed annually on 5 March. The event highlighted the critical role young people can play in achieving disarmament goals, including in connection with two of UNODA’s flagship youth empowerment programmes, the Youth Leader Fund for a World Without Nuclear Weapons and the Youth4Biosecurity Fellowship.  The panel featured three outstanding young leaders and professionals in the disarmament field, who shared their experiences participating in UNODA’s programmes and advocating for disarmament. Attendees also had the opportunity to engage directly with the panelists and UNODA staff during an interactive Q&A session. 

On 6 September 2023, UNODA Vienna Office hosted a hybrid event on the topic of "Bridging the divide: The role of networks in advancing inclusive disarmament processes." This interactive roundtable event aimed at showcasing the value of integrating diverse perspectives in disarmament discourse and decision-making processes, providing concrete examples and success stories, as well as exploring opportunities for strengthening of interdisciplinary, inter-generational, and cross-regional networks. Panellists explored strategies and best practices for fostering the adoption of an inclusive approach, including intergenerational dialogue, networks and alumni groups, and multistakeholder consultations.

This latest podcast to feature on Disarmament Today is part of a roundtable-style Vienna Conversation Series, aimed at engaging youth to raise awareness of disarmament’s centrality in addressing global challenges and to amplify fresh thinking. In a dynamic exchange of views with High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu, youth representatives Kasha Sequoia Slavner and Louis Reitmann share their thoughts on ways to educate, engage and empower young people in the disarmament field. Kasha Sequoia Slavner is a GenZ multi-award-winning documentary filmmaker. Louis Reitmann works as a Research Associate at UNODA’s partner organisation, the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, where he focuses on export controls and sanctions implementation. Both Kasha and Louis are currently participating in the #Leaders4Tomorrow workshop series organised by ODA´s #Youth4Disarmament initiative.

On 30 January 2024, UNODA Vienna Office organized another Vienna Conversation Series (VCS) Event on “Non-proliferation, disarmament & global governance: The role of the Vienna Community in the preparations for the Summit of the Future and beyond”. The event aimed at raising awareness of the Summit of the Future, to be held on 22 and 23 September 2024 in New York. Specifically, the Summit seeks to accelerate efforts to meet our existing international commitments and take concrete steps to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities, to be achieved through an action-oriented Pact for the Future, to be agreed by Member States. The VCS Event was held at a timely moment, with the zero draft of the Pact for the Future having been released only a few days before on 26 January. The high-level speakers, including the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, senior representatives from Vienna-based organizations and the Pact’s co-facilitators - Germany and Namibia – underscored how much the Vienna community can contribute, with relevant expertise and experience, including in the areas of international peace and security as well as sustainable development.

On 15 March 2024, the UNODA Vienna Office, in partnership with the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, the Austrian Research Association, and the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations in Vienna, organized another Vienna Conversation Series (VCS) event. Aimed at celebrating the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness on March 5, and International Women’s Day on March 8, this edition of the VCS, entitled “Reducing the human cost of weapons: human-centred disarmament through a gender lens”, shed light on the human cost of conventional weapons focusing on gender-based violence, gender mainstreaming, and human-centred approaches to disarmament. The event, held at the premises of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, featured several high-level speakers from international organizations, academia and think tanks. They drew attention to the alarming issue that the widespread availability, diversion, and misuse of small arms and light weapons fuel armed violence and conflict, including gender-based violence. Additionally, the panellists discussed the varying gendered impacts of weapons, armed conflict, and security. The fruitful exchange underscored the necessity of adopting a gender lens to formulate and implement better and more effective policies and programmes, and ensuring women’s participation and leadership in disarmament processes with the ultimate goal of reducing the human cost of weapons and arriving at more inclusive and sustainable solutions.

On 12 June 2024, UNODA Vienna Office organized another Vienna Conversation Series (VCS) Event on “Different means for a common goal: Diplomacy, youth participation, education and artistic engagement to advance disarmament and non-proliferation”. The event brought together participants from capacity-building programmes and creative initiatives conducted across the broader disarmament and non-proliferation community to foster constructive dialogue with alumni and inter-generational members. Throughout the interactive discussion, the role of education as a tool to inform people about disarmament and the role of art as a catalyst to inspire action were recognised. The event provided a timely reflection on the impact of diverse educational initiatives in engaging and empowering various audience groups. Former and current participants of the UN Disarmament Fellowship programme engaged in the discussion, together with the winner of the Preparative Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Youth Group Art Competition, and other members of the CTBTO Youth Group Task Force and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA).

On 8 October 2024, the UNODA Vienna Office, in partnership with the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and the Austrian Research Association, organized a Vienna Conversation Series (VCS) on key dynamics emanating from the Summit of the Future process and newly-agreed Pact for the Future, their possible implications for disarmament and arms control processes, and the role of different stakeholders in advancing disarmament-related actions. The event, held at the premises of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, featured speakers from international organizations, academia and think tanks, as well as a youth representative. They reflected on the Pact’s relevance in the global environment surrounding arms control and disarmament and the Pact’s possible implications for future multilateral efforts in the field.