ICAN at Munich: Why nuclear weapons make us less safe, not more

At the 2026 Munich Security Conference, ICAN Executive Director Melissa Parke brought a message that isn’t often heard in that room: real security doesn’t come from the threat of annihilation.

In this short video, she explains why:

-- Genuine security is built on collective human security, not nuclear “deterrence”,

-- As long as nuclear-armed states insist they “need” these weapons, other countries will want them too – driving proliferation,

-- And why countries that are serious about long-term security should join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) alongside the global majority.

On stage in Munich, Melissa challenges the assumption that the only conversation to have is about “managing” or “modernising” nuclear arsenals – and argues it’s time to talk openly about the path to eliminating nuclear weapons instead.