Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare

The Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare strives to create awareness and pay tribute to those who have suffered from the devastating consequences of chemical warfare. This observance marks the persistent efforts of the international community to eliminate the production and use of chemical weapons, ensuring a safer world for future generations. Furthermore, it serves as a reminder of the obligation to promote peace, security, and multilateralism while conforming to the Chemical Weapons Convention and the disarmament norms.

This notable commemoration traces its origin to the adoption of the Chemical Weapons Convention on January 13, 1993, by the UN General Assembly. For Americans, the Day of Remembrance holds a particular significance due to the United States' poisoning agent attacks during World War I, which prompted the nation to take a leading role in the global chemical disarmament movement. Over the years, the U.S. government has dedicated resources and efforts to assist countries affected by chemical warfare, promoting expertise sharing among international partners, and supporting the mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare is observed through various educational and informative events organized by institutions, non-governmental organizations, or individual activists. These events aim to shed light on the historical context of chemical warfare, its human costs, and the importance of eliminating chemical weapons for global peace and security. The Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare is observed on April 29th, the date when the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in 1997.

Facts about victims of chemical warfare

• Chemical weapons were used for the first time on a large scale in battle during World War I at the battle of Ypres in 1915. The chemical that was used as a weapon was chlorine gas.
• According to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, as of 2023, 100% of the world's chemical weapons stockpile has been destroyed.
• There are three different schedules of chemicals:
  1) Schedule One: these are typically used in weapons such as sarin and mustard gas
  2) Schedule Two: these are used in weapons such as amiton and BZ
  3) Schedule Three: these are typically the least toxic chemicals and are used for research and the production of medicines.
• For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face. – Madeleine Albright, American politician and diplomat, first woman to be secretary of state.

In the News and Trending in the US for Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

Top things to do in the US for this observance

• Spread awareness on social media by using the hashtags #peacenotwar and #remembranceforallchemicalwarfarevictims
• Visit the site of some of the chemical weapon use. Some ideas, the Battlefields of Ypres, the Battlefields of Passchendaele and the Tokyo Subway.
• Watch a documentary or movie on the perils of chemical warfare. Some popular options are: Science at War: Laboratory of War, Chemical Warfare Watch, Avoiding Armageddon: Chemical Weapons, and Total Recall.
• Read a book on the widespread dangers of chemical warfare. Some good suggestions are: War of Nerves, Chemical and Biological Warfare: America’s Hidden Arsenal, and a Higher Form of Killing.
• Donate to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. They seek to end the use and existence of chemical weapons throughout the world and all proceeds help them toward that goal.