13 July 2026
Leading international experts, academics and students will gather in Wellington this week to examine some of the most significant challenges facing global peace and security.
Hosted by the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC), the two-day conference (14/15 July) will explore nuclear disarmament, arms control and the future of international humanitarian law at a time of increasing geopolitical tension and armed conflict.
PACDAC spokesperson Dell Higgie, former New Zealand Ambassador for Disarmament, said the conference comes at an important moment for the international community.
“Around the world we are seeing increasing strategic competition, growing concern about nuclear risks and continuing pressure on the international rules that seek to limit the effects of armed conflict. New Zealand has long played an important role in supporting international peace and security, and this conference provides an opportunity to bring together leading experts to consider both the challenges and the opportunities ahead.”
The conference brings together an exceptional group of New Zealand and international experts, and academics. With over 30 student registrations the conference aims to leave a lasting legacy for future study and research. Two international keynote speakers will headline the conference:
Dr Zia Mian, co-director of Princeton University’s Program on Science and Global Security, serves as Co-Chair of the United Nations Scientific Advisory Group established under the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. He has also served on the United Nations Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters and is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading scientific voices on nuclear disarmament, arms control and global security.
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Stephen Wilkinson, Director of the International Humanitarian Law Centre in Stockholm, leads an independent team providing legal advice on armed conflicts to United Nations agencies, governments and humanitarian organisations around the world. An experienced international lawyer, he is internationally recognised for his expertise in international humanitarian law and is a regular commentator for BBC News and BBC Radio.
Over two days, participants will explore:
- Nuclear disarmament and arms control.
- The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
- International humanitarian law.
- Humanitarian disarmament.
- Emerging challenges for the international rules-based order.
- Practical opportunities for international cooperation in reducing the risks of armed conflict.
PACDAC Deputy Chair Marty Donoghue said the conference reflected one of PACDAC’s core statutory functions.
“PACDAC’s role is not to tell people what to think. Our role is to encourage informed discussion by bringing together expertise, evidence and different perspectives. We are privileged to welcome internationally recognised speakers to Wellington and hope the conversations over these two days continue well beyond the conference itself.”
The conference reflects New Zealand’s long-standing commitment to practical international engagement on disarmament and humanitarian law and will contribute to international discussion ahead of the First Review Conference of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
It also represents one of the strongest gatherings of expertise on disarmament and international humanitarian law convened in Aotearoa New Zealand in recent years.
Among those participating are Taha Macpherson, Deputy Chief Executive (Policy), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Charlotte Beaglehole, Divisional Manager, International Security and Disarmament Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Professor Treasa Dunworth and Associate Professor Anna Hood, internationally recognised scholars in international law; Professor Emeritus Marianne Hanson, PACDAC member and internationally respected expert on nuclear disarmament; Ambassador (retired) Colin Keating, one of New Zealand’s most distinguished diplomats and former Permanent Representative to the United Nations; and Chief Judge Kevin Riordan, former Brigadier, Judge Advocate General of the New Zealand Armed Forces and an internationally recognised expert in the law of armed conflict.
About PACDAC
The Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC) is an independent statutory advisory committee established under the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act 1987.
PACDAC advises the Minister of Foreign Affairs on disarmament and arms control matters and promotes informed public understanding of these issues through education and engagement.
