Biological Weapons Convention 40th Anniversary Event – Programme

In my previous blog posting I noted the organisation of a special event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the entry into force of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC / BWC) on 30 March. The event takes place in the Council Chamber of the United Nations in Geneva and prior registration is required.

The programme consists of two parts:

• In the morning a formal session will take place. It is open to the public. For more information, please check out the dedicated page by the BTWC Implementation Support Unit.
• In the afternoon, the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP) of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) will convene an academic seminar to mark the anniversary.  Civil society representatives, non-governmental organisations and students can register here.

A light lunch will be available and the afternoon session will be followed by a reception.

BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION
40TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT

Academic Session
Programme

14:00–15:15 Making progress in strengthening the BWC

Chair: Dr Jean Pascal Zanders, Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP)

• Dr Ursula Jenal, Jenal & Partners Biosafety Consulting, Biorisk management: awareness, responsibility and codes of conduct
• Dr Gary Burns, Independent Consultant, Development of an ISO Laboratory Biorisk Management Standard – can ISO/AWI 35001 help in supporting the BTWC?
• Dr Piers Millett, BioSecure, Science, Technology & the BWC: staying relevant for the next 40 years

15:15–15:45 Coffee break

15:45–17:00 Future challenges for strengthening the BTWC

Chair: Ms Kerstin Vignard, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research

• Mr Nicholas Sims, Emeritus Reader in International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science, What Future for Biological Disarmament?
• Dr Gunnar Jeremias, Research Group for Biological Arms Control, The future of confidence building in biological arms control
• Dr Iris Hunger, Robert Koch Institute, A new international order for extraordinary public health risks? Norms, actors, modes of interaction

17:00–18:00 Reception

Location: Council Chamber, United Nations, Geneva