During the IPPNW congresses in Nuremberg, I learned a lot about the international approach of IPPNW to achieve peace and the abolition of all nuclear weapons. After starting my studies in 2007, I became a member of the IPPNW.

The town I am studying in is only a few kilometres from the Ramstein Air Base, the largest US military base for the US Air Forces in Europe and for NATO troops. Until 2005, it used to hold around 130 nuclear bombs, which were luckily withdrawn, but it now serves as the most important Air Base for many military activities of the United States, providing support and logistics for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many fighters who are badly injured in these conflicts are treated in our hospital, bringing these wars to my doorstep.

Even though at present the world seems peaceful enough to us in Europe, there hasn't been a year without a great number of people being killed in armed conflicts since the 50ies. Germany is one of the biggest weapon exporting countries in the world, its technology being used in almost every conflict worldwide: In Afghanistan, Germany is once again participating directly in an armed conflict and countries such as Great Britain and Poland fight alongside the US in Iraq. Even though these and most other conflicts seem local and far away, there are many ways we are affected and involved. And one of the worst results from such a “local” war would be the use of atomic weapons.

Although seemingly less severe than 25 years ago, the atomic threat is still real: Not only have the major nuclear powers Russia, China, USA, France and Britain not made significant progress in reducing their arsenals recently, but they have taken actions to modernise them. In addition, new states, such as India, Pakistan or North Korea have acquired nuclear weapons as well. What is more, this happened in some cases with the knowledge and quiet consent of the Western world. So instead of vanishing, the nuclear threat has increased in these respects, making it once again clear that only the abolition of all nuclear weapons and the destruction of the technology involved can be a sustainable solution for the peaceful world everyone wishes to live in.

In the present situation, with a change in the U.S. foreign policy, we could have a chance of making a real step forward in this respect. In order to increase the pressure on our politicians, we need more public actions showing to them that peace and a nuclear free world are still goals worth pursuing. Our tour is meant as a sign that medical students and doctors throughout the world stand up for a world without the nuclear threat.

We will cycle through Germany, France and Switzerland, passing landmarks where the nuclear threat is visible in form of military bases and command centres for nuclear weapons, and for example providing support and logistics for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.