---
title: "Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs"
chunk: 3/3
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pugwash_Conferences_on_Science_and_World_Affairs"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:24:07.269000+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

Earl (Bertrand) Russell, 1950 Nobel Prize in Literature, a founder of the movement, was its natural head in its initial years. The formal office of the presidency was established at the Quinquennial Conference in Ronneby, in 1967. The president's role was to "preside over the Annual Pugwash Conferences and, in addition, between Conferences, to offer his counsel and advice to the members of the Continuing Committee and the Secretary-General, and thereby assist them in the execution of the activities of the Movement."
Sir John Cockcroft, joint recipient of the 1951 Nobel Prize in Physics for pioneering work on the transmutation of atomic nuclei by artificially accelerated atomic particles, was elected as the first president in 1967, though he died suddenly ten days later.
Lord Florey, who shared the 1945 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for extraction of penicillin, was then invited to become president, though he also died within weeks. At that point the Continuing Committee decided to have a rotating presidency for a term of one year, to have that office held by a distinguished person in the country where the annual conference would be held each year.
Francis Perrin (1968), had worked with Frederic Joliot's team to establish in 1939 the possibility of nuclear chain reactions and nuclear energy production.
Mikhail Millionshchikov (1969), an eminent physicist who later became Speaker of the Russian Parliament.
Eugene Rabinowitch (1970), American biophysicist who worked on the Manhattan Project and was co-author with Leo Szilard of the Franck Report and co-founder in 1945 of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. In September 1970, the Continuing Committee switched back to the initial idea of a permanent office of president, with a five-year term.
Hannes Alfvén (1970–1975), recipient of the 1970 Nobel in Physics for work on his theory of magnetohydrodynamics.
Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin (1976–1988), recipient of the 1964 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her determinations by X-ray techniques of the structures of important biochemical substances.
Sir Joseph Rotblat (1988–1997), physicist, one of the founders of the Pugwash Movement, co-recipient of the 1995 Nobel Peace Prize.
Sir Michael Atiyah (1997–2002), a mathematician, was awarded the 1966 Fields Medal, for his work in developing K-theory.
Prof. M.S. Swaminathan (2002–2007), agricultural scientist, one of the pioneers of the Green Revolution and recipient of the World Food Prize and the UNESCO Gandhi Prize.
Amb. Jayantha Dhanapla (2007–2017), former Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs at the United Nations (1998–2003), and former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the US (1995–1997) and to the UN Office in Geneva (1984–1987)
Amb. Sergio Duarte (2017–2024), former UN Undersecretary for Disarmament Affairs and a retired career diplomat from Brazil
Dr. Hussain al-Shahristani (2024- ), is an Iraqi scientist and politician.

== Pugwashites ==
The Pugwash Conference itself does not have formal membership (although national organisations do). All participants take part in their individual capacities and not as representatives of any organization, institution or government.  Anyone who has attended a meeting is considered a "Pugwashite".  There are more than 3,500 "Pugwashites" worldwide.

=== Pugwash Council for the 2007–2012 Quinquennium ===
Amb. Jayantha Dhanapala (president), former UN under-secretary-general
Prof. Paolo Cotta-Ramusino (secretary general), Professor of Theoretical Physics, University of Milano (Italy)
Amb. (ret.) Ochieng Adala, former permanent representative of Kenya to the United Nations in New York
Amb. Sergey Batsanov, director, Geneva Pugwash, former representative of the USSR/Russia to CD
Dr. Adele Buckley, former VP of tech, Ontario Centre for Enviro Tech Advancement
Prof. Francesco Calogero (former secretary general), professor, theoretical physics, University of Rome "La Sapienza"
Dr. Lynn Eden, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University
Prof. John Finney, emeritus professor of physics, University College London
Prof. Galia Golan-Gild, professor of government, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzliya, Israel
Prof. Karen Hallberg, professor of physics, Fellow, Argentine Natl Council, Science & Tech
Dr. Peter Jones, former senior policy advisor, Sec & Intell Secretariat, Ottawa (PM's Department)
Gen. (ret.) Dr. Mohamed Kadry Said, head of the Military Studies Unit, Al-Ahram Center
Dr. Mustafa Kibaroglu, chair of international relations, Okan University Tuzla, Turkey
Mr. Cliff Kupchan, director of Europe and Asia of the Eurasia Group, Washington, D.C.
Mr. Sverre Lodgaard, former director, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
Prof. Saideh Lotfian (council chair), assoc professor, political science, University of Tehran
Dr. Riad Malki, min. of foreign affairs, min. of information, Palestinian National Authority
Amb. Miguel Marin-Bosch, former deputy foreign minister of Mexico
Gen. (ret.) Talat Masood, former secretary, Defence Production Division, MOD
Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, professor of international relations and member, National Knowledge Commission
Dr. Steven Miller (chair of executive committee), International Security Program of the Belfer Center, Harvard University
Prof. Götz Neuneck, Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH), Hamburg
Dr. Alexander Nikitin, director of the Center for Political and International Studies
Mr. Niu Qiang, secretary general, Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament
Gen. Pan Zhengqiang, deputy chair, China Foundation of International Studies
Acad. Yuri Ryzhov, president, International Engineering University, Moscow
Prof. Ivo Slaus, former member of the Croatian Parliament
Dr. Mark Byung-Moon Suh, chair, Corea Trust Fund
Prof. Takao Takahara, professor of international politics and peace research, Faculty of International Studies, Meiji Gakuin University, Japan
Dr. Bob van der Zwaan, senior scientific researcher, Energy Research Center of The Netherlands

=== Other Pugwashites ===

== Legacy ==
As the birthplace of the Pugwash movement, the Thinkers' Lodge was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2008.

== Jubilee Pugwash Conference Astana ==
The Jubilee 62nd Pugwash Conference devoted to nuclear disarmament was held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, in 2017. The conference celebrated the 60th anniversary of the first Pugwash Conference, held in Pugwash, Nova Scotia in 1957. The theme of the conference was "Confronting New Nuclear Dangers." The conference agenda focused on strengthening the nuclear test ban and combating terrorism.
The Astana conference working groups included:

Nuclear disarmament and the UN negotiation process to prohibit nuclear weapons
Nuclear non-proliferation, civilian nuclear energy and energy security
Regional Security: Europe and NATO
Regional Security: Middle East
Regional Security: South Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India)
Regional Security: Northeast Asia
Emerging new technologies and security issues (Cyber Security, AI, Robot)

== See also ==

== Notes ==

== References ==

=== Books ===

== External links ==

Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs
Russia: Russian Pugwash Committee
Canada: Canadian Pugwash Group -see: April 2007 YouTube video of Canadian Pugwash on YouTube
France: Association Française pour le Mouvement Pugwash
The First Pugwash Conference.
Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs on Nobelprize.org 
Profile of Joseph Rotblat
The Early Days of Pugwash, by Joseph Rotblat in Physics Today, June 2001.
Pugwash And The International Treaties On Chemical And Biological Warfare, by J.P. Perry Robinson.
Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs (Rome, through 1996 only)
The Dagomys Declaration on Environmental Degradation.
J. Rotblat, Scientists in the Quest for Peace: A history of the Pugwash Conferences, MIT Press,1972.

=== Archival collections ===
Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs records, 1958-1981, Niels Bohr Library & Archives