Deakin Oration

We were privileged to have been able to attend the Deakin Oration at Parliament House where we were captivated by the oration presented by Dr Tilman Ruff, the founding co-chair of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) whose organisation was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 in recognition for their efforts to promote nuclear disarmament globally. Dr Ruff’s oration detailed the elimination of nuclear weapons as a humanitarian requirement, warning that the delay of nuclear disarmament will lead to long-term catastrophic ramifications including significant changes to global climate, which in turn, will compound existing global challenges such as food insecurity and malnutrition. ICAN was founded in Melbourne and Dr Ruff shared the advocacy efforts that were undertaken at the United Nations to establish the Treaty On The Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons with 122 nations voting to adopt this global agreement to ban nuclear weapons - a momentous and historical achievement. It was unfortunate to learn that this treaty was the first weapons prohibition treaty rejected by Australia but also stimulating to have been able to engage with a significant contemporary issue our society is faced with, forming our own judgement about the actions of the Australian Government and our viewpoint on the implications of nuclear disarmament. We were inspired by Dr Ruff and the work of ICAN to make a difference in the world we live in as he concluded his oration on a thought-provoking note: “There can only be one answer to the question: will it be the end of nuclear weapons or the end of us? We all have a part to play to make sure it’s the right answer.”

Annie Ea

Year 12 Student