The Prague Project

Tonight at 9:00 pm The History Channel will be showing Countdown to Zero, a riveting documentary about the global threat of nuclear weapons and the imperative of seeking a world without them.

A film by the academy-award winning producers of An Inconvenient Truth, Countdown is a compelling and eye-opening film. It explains in clear terms the nuclear threat we face and the global imperative of seeking the elimination of nuclear weapons.  It features interviews with Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev, Pervez Musharraf, Tony Blair, and Ploughshares Fund’s own Joe Cirincione.

The film makes a frightening observation.  In the 21st century, an odd twist of fate has left us in a world where the threat of nuclear war has receded, but where the likelihood of a nuclear attack – by accident, miscalculation, or madness – has increased.  Thousands of nuclear missiles remain on hair-trigger alert around the globe and terrorists are seeking the means for nuclear destruction.  Given the complexity and unimagineable risks of this status quo, the film makes the case that going to zero is the best path to security.  Catch the trailer below.

In April 2009, President Obama made it the official policy of the United States to “seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.” Beginning with the Nuclear Posture Review and the Nuclear Security Summit, the United States led the way towards reducing the role the nuclear weapons play in national defense and securing loose and vulnerable nuclear materials around the world. The New START Treaty, signed between the United States and Russia, began the process of much needed bilateral arsenal reductions, and talks are ongoing for the next arms control treaty.

As Countdown to Zero illustrates, we cannot afford to lose this momentum and must continue to reduce global nuclear arsenals and lock down vulnerable nuclear materials to keep them out of the hands of terrorists. The film provides a powerful message about our security and delivers a rallying cry for the necessary global elimination of nuclear weapons.

So pick up some popcorn on the way home and tune in to The History Channel at 9:00 pm. You can also stream the film through Netflix. Either way, you need to see this movie.

If there was ever a time to become in engaged in nuclear issues, this is it.  Here are three reasons why you should start caring about U.S. nuclear policy:

1.  A fight is going on right now in the Senate, and you’ve got a dog in that fight.

Right now the Senate is considering the New START treaty, which would reduce the numbers of unneeded nuclear weapons in both countries.  New START will reduce the possibility that a nuclear weapon could be launched on the U.S. due to a terrorist attack, a misunderstanding, or a miscalculation, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans.  As President Kennedy said, “Every man, woman, and child lives under a nuclear sword of Damocles, capable of being cut at any moment.”

2.  This is a unique moment in history–one that doesn’t come around very often.

None of us really remember the Cold War, but we do remember 9/11.  President Obama has made preventing nuclear terrorism the focus of his arms control and nonproliferation policies.  Instead of expanding the roles of nuclear weapons, President Obama has reduced them.

This is a historic time for nuclear policy.  Under the Obama administration, the U.S. released the number of weapons in its stockpile for the first time (5,113, to be exact.)  President Obama also hosted an unprecedented summit of world leaders to coordinate nuclear terrorism prevention.  The president gets it.  He has the most ambitious arms control and nonproliferation agenda in decades, and he needs your support to achieve his goals and improve national security.

3.  A major public education movement is about to start, and you can help lead it.

Remember what An Inconvenient Truth did to educate people about climate change?  Well, that’s what Countdown to Zero is doing for nuclear weapons policy.  It is a powerful film that makes a compelling case for eliminating nuclear weapons from the face of the earth—a goal shared by leaders from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama.  If you want to learn more, you can hear about it straight from the mouths of the world’s best experts at your local movie theatre in select cities.

The power of one.

So how can you make an impact?  Let your senator know that you think nuclear weapons are a liability and not an asset.  If you live in DC and don’t have senator, talk to your friends that work on the Hill about the urgency of New START ratification.  Finally, go see Countdown to Zero and ask five friends or family members to see it, too.

Nothing would be worse than a nuclear terrorist attack or an accidental detonation of a nuclear weapon in an American city.  Nuclear weapons represent the greatest threat to the American people.  Educate yourself on the urgency of this threat and speak out against these dangerous weapons.

This past Friday, the Prague Project teamed up with the Connect U.S. Fund to host a premier night screening of Countdown to Zero in DC.

More than 125 young adults attended the screening at the E Street Cinema in Washington, DC.  Afterwards, attendees gathered at Elephant & Castle to celebrate the opening of the film and talk about the small things every person can do to make a difference in nuclear weapons policy.

At the after-party, guests also had the opportunity to test out newly acquired nuclear knowledge and compete for fabulous prizes (thanks, Participant Media!).

Check out the slideshow, below, to see photos from the event.  And thanks to everyone who attended for helping to make the evening a huge success!

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Countdown to Zero premiered in Washington, DC and New York City this past Friday.  While the scale of the nuclear problem presented in the film can be a bit overwhelming, there are several small – but critically important – things you can do to reduce the nuclear threat.

Participant Media put together a great list of suggestions for you to “get involved and take action.”  Read the suggestions below and take action to start making a difference today.