“The more important responsibility of this Atomic Energy Agency would be to devise methods whereby this fissionable material would be allocated to serve the peaceful pursuits of mankind. Experts would be mobilized to apply atomic energy to the needs of agriculture, medicine, and other peaceful activities. A special purpose would be to provide abundant electrical energy in the power-starved areas of the world. Thus the contributing powers would be dedicating some of their strength to serve the needs rather than the fears of mankind.”
– President Dwight D. Eisenhower, “Atoms for Peace” Speech, 1953
This year marks the 70th anniversary of US President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The speech inspired the creation of the IAEA, which was founded in 1957 to promote the application of nuclear science and technology for peace and development around the world "for the benefit of all mankind."
To commemorate the speech and the enduring impact of Eisenhower’s vision for peace which led to the creation of the IAEA, the Agency and the United States of America hosted a panel discussion at the Albertina Museum in Vienna on the margins of the IAEA’s 67th General Conference. The President of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo, the US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of President Eisenhower, joined IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi on Tuesday evening to discuss the legacy of the speech and the impact of the IAEA. “This speech should have been Eisenhower’s first presidential speech; however, it became a message for the United Nations. I think it was a turn of the destiny which was very important because of its scope. It was an inspiration that these multilateral places after the wars have at the end today a very big role as vehicles for peace, for satisfaction of these basic needs and aspirations,” said Mr Grossi.
The speech’s enduring influence is also reflected in the IAEA’s activities in the field of human health, Mr Grossi said. Through its Rays of Hope initiative, the IAEA is mobilizing resources to support the establishment and expansion of radiotherapy services to address the cancer care gap in low-and-middle-income countries. Director General Grossi also highlighted how the wide scope of the IAEA's work affects millions of lives, from supporting countries in mitigating climate change and implementing safeguards, to overcoming challenges in water management and food security.
