The United Nations (UN) Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare is annually observed across the globe on 30 November to pay tribute to the victims, who lost their lives or suffered from chemical warfare.
- The Day also reaffirms the commitment of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to eliminate the chemical weapons threat and promote the goals of peace, security, and multilateralism.
Note: The OPCW observes the Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare annually in November, during the Conference of the States Parties.
Background:
i.The 10th Session Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), held in The Hague, the Netherlands in November 2005, endorsed the proposal for the establishment of a Day of Remembrance of all victims of chemical warfare, to be observed on 29 April of every year.
- The date 29th of April marks the anniversary of Entry into Force of the Convention.
- The Conference also endorsed the dedication in The Hague of a permanent memorial to the victims of chemical warfare.
ii.Since 2005, the UN has officially recognised and observed the Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare, following the suggestion by Rogelio Pfirter, the Director-General of OPCW.
iii.The Conference of the States Parties to the CWC, at its 20th Session in 2015, designated that:
- 29 April each year as the International Day for the Foundation of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (“OPCW Day”).
- A Memorial Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare would be observed on 30 November each year or, when appropriate, on the first day of the regular session of the Conference.
Note: These arrangements were commenced with effect from 2016.
iv.The first Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare was observed on 30 November 2016.
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC):
i.The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (the Chemical Weapons Convention or CWC) is the world’s 1st multilateral disarmament agreement to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction within a fixed time frame.
ii.The convention opened for signature on January 13, 1993, and entered into force on April 29, 1997.
2023 Events:
i.On November 30, 2023, a homage to the memory of the victims and to uphold the dignity of survivors was held by the UNGA’s first committee to commemorate the Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare 2023.
ii.On November 29, 2023, the OPCW member states marked the 26th anniversary of the entry into force of the CWC.
About Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW):
i.OPCW is the implementing body for the CWC, which entered into force on 29 April 1997.
ii.OPCW member states account for 98% of the global population, and the Executive Council consists of 41 OPCW Member States.
iii.In recognition of its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons, the OPCW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Director-General– Ambassador Fernando Arias
Headquarters– The Hague, Netherlands
