From 1-3 February 2026 the Pugwash Secretary General Dr. Karen Hallberg participated in the World Laureates Summit (WLS) 2026 in Dubai. Representing the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs (1995 Peace Nobel laureate), the Secretary General played a prominent role in the summit’s high-level discourse on science and international security. On the final day of the conference, Dr. Hallberg delivered a keynote address focusing on the role of scientists in reducing the huge and increasing risks posed by nuclear weapons, which was followed by a panel discussion alongside notable figures including Turing Award laureate Martin Hellman and Nobel Physics laureates David Gross and Brian Schmidt.
The 2026 WLS brought together a distinguished assembly of the world’s most accomplished scientists and scholars. Organized by the World Laureates Association (WLA), the summit featured a remarkable gathering of 37 Nobel Laureates in science and economics, alongside numerous recipients of the Turing Award and Fields Medal among other awards. The Summit was presided by H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE; H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and the Chairman of the World Leadership Association, Roger Kronberg (Nobel Chemistry 2006). This year’s event was uniquely integrated with the World Government Summit, a collaboration highlighted by the presence of His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and Vice Chair of the World Governments Summit. https://www.wlasummit.org/
By facilitating direct engagement between top-tier scientists and government representatives, the 2026 WLS reaffirmed the vital role of evidence-based reasoning in addressing the most complex challenges facing humanity.
Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs 