On November 19, 2025, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and its youth initiative Reverse the Trend, the International Relations Society at NYU, and NYU SPS co-hosted a timely discussion on Establishing a Middle East Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone. Bringing together diplomats, scholars, and civil society leaders, the event explored the political, security, and humanitarian imperatives for establishing a region free of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons.
Speakers examined ongoing diplomatic challenges, the regional history of WMD proliferation, and the urgent need for sustained international support for a comprehensive WMD-Free Zone. Dr. Ivana Nikolić Hughes delivered closing remarks, underscoring the human consequences of continued inaction and the responsibility of the global community to prioritize disarmament. Following the presentations, students engaged the panel in an interactive discussion.
Panelists:
– Amr Essameldin, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Egypt to the UN
– El Hadj Lehbib Mohammedou, First Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Mauritania to the UN
– Dr. Waheguru Pal Singh Sidhu, Clinical Professor, NYU Center for Global Affairs
– Dr. Ivana Nikolić Hughes, President, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation; Member, SAG to the TPNW
Moderators:
Douaa Ahmed — NAPF / Reverse the Trend Intern, NYU
Mohammed Alkurashi — NAPF / Reverse the Trend Intern, NYU
Please see below or click HERE for recording of the event.
Event Photos
