Call for Peace

Declaration of the international scientific community signed by 150 Nobel laureates

As of March 21, 2022, 150 Nobel laureates from various disciplines have called for peace in the face of the war in Ukraine emanating from Russian soil. They have signed a declaration initiated by the Max Planck Society and supported by the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings.​​

The Declaration follows on from the 1955 Mainau Declaration against the use of nuclear weapons (pdf). It was co-initiated by Otto Hahn, 16-time participant of the Lindau Conferences and first President of the Max Planck Society, at the 5th Lindau Nobel Laureate Conference. The current declaration states: "The discovery of nuclear fission created the basis for the construction of nuclear weapons of destruction. Their current volume has the potential to make the Earth uninhabitable for humans and to wipe out human civilisation. Such weapons must therefore never be used."

The 150 signatories call on governments and business leaders to use scientific knowledge and technologies responsibly and with awareness of their long-term consequences. Russian President Vladimir Putin is urged to respect international legal agreements, recall his forces, start negotiations and establish peace.

The Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings and the Max Planck Society are convinced that science must continue the dialogue even if politics remains silent, or fights. With this comes the hope that this initiative, along with countless others, will soon lead to a return to peaceful exchange between nations.​

​The declaration is also available in German, Ukrainian and Russian language versions.​