12th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates – Is Nuclear Peace Possible?

David Martin, national security correspondent for CBS News, opened the last day of the 12^thWorld Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates moderating the panel, “A World without Nuclear Weapons,” featuring: Ingeborg Brienes of the International Peace Bureau, Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala from the PUGWASH Conferences, Dr. Ira Helfand of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, and Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Shirin Ebadi.

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 25: Dr. Shirin Ebadi part... — Dr. Shirin Ebadi (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

One student from DePaul University started the question and answer section by asking the panel about the types of weapons of mass destruction. “There are three types of weapons of mass destruction, biological, chemical, and nuclear,” said Dhanapala.

“Nuclear weapons is not a topic that is generally talked about,” said Helfand. The panel went on to talk about how the world would be better off without them and that every country that has a nuclear weapon at its disposal should destroy it.

Panelists said one nuclear weapon dropped in the middle of Chicago would disinigrate a 4-mile radius. The damage would continue around a thirty-two mile radius. But Dhanapala explained that although other countries own nuclear weapons, the United States owns 95 percent of them.

The panel agreed that although nuclear peace seems far off, the younger generation has a chance to create new things and create order. “If science permits it, it will happen,” said Helfand.