Joseph Rotblat’s glasses

These glasses, held today in the collections of The Peace Museum, symbolise a humanist perspective on matters of conflict and peace. They belonged to Polish-born physicist and Humanists UK Patron Joseph Rotblat, who was a leading example of the many humanists who have tirelessly highlighted the social responsibility of science and scientists. A winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995, Rotblat devoted much of his life to the cause of peace and international cooperation, acutely aware – through his own involvement in nuclear research – of the dangers of atomic weaponry. In 1955, Rotblat was a signatory of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, which called on world leaders to ‘remember your humanity, and forget the rest’, chairing the meeting at which it was presented. Other signatories included fellow humanists Bertrand Russell, Albert Einstein, and Frederic Joliot-Curie. Two years later, Russell and Rotblat founded the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, an international organisation seeking to reduce the likelihood of global conflict through dialogue and cooperation. Rotblat acted as Secretary-General for over 15 years, and was chair of the British Pugwash group for a decade. Rotblat concluded his Nobel acceptance speech with a humanist entreaty for peace, founded in compassion:

_{Image: Glasses from the estate of Joseph Rotblat, © The Peace Museum. See also: 2020 Objects of Peace: Joseph Rotblat Typewriter}