The 2012-13 International Arms Control Essay Contest: Innovation through Open Source Technologies

In the spirit of harnessing the ingenuity of citizens of the United States and the Russian Federation, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance in partnership with the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) and the Center for Policy Studies (PIR) in Russia announces the launch of the 2012-13 International Arms Control Essay Contest: Innovation Through Open Source Technologies. With our American and Russian partner organizations, we welcome essays from both the American and Russian publics on the international application of open source information and communication technologies to arms control verification, compliance monitoring and monitoring of sensitive facilities. For information on the rules and submission guidelines, please click here for the CNS website or here for the PIR website.
Over the last four years, the U.S. Department of State reshaped our diplomatic agenda to meet challenges by deploying one of America’s greatest assets – innovation. The recent Innovation in Arms Control Challenge is one example of our drive to foster public discussion on innovative ideas for arms control policy. Diplomacy today is very different than it was at the dawn of the nuclear age; more often diplomacy is happening in the open, and at quicker speeds. The astonishing advancements in information and communication technologies include new tools and capabilities that could help support arms control transparency and compliance. This essay contest aims to encourage more public participation, discussion and thought on arms control.
The contest runs until January 31, 2013 and is open to all citizens of the United States and Russia. The essay contest will have one winner from the United States and one winner from Russia. Winners will receive an iPad.