Diplomats entering the United Nations headquarters were met with quite a surprise today as they passed through security to continue negotiations on the Arms Trade Treaty. Standing outside the entrance was the Sheryl Renee Gospel Choir whose soulful voices could be heard from blocks away.
They were here to remind delegates of the importance of closing the treaty’s loopholes in the final days of the conference in a new way. With song. The group belted out Elvis Presley’s ‘A Little Less Conversation’ and Edwin
Starr’s ‘War’ to put the pressure on and ensure that negotiators continues to press for the ATT that the world deserves.
The choir’s participation is yet another example of the overwhelming support for Control Arms’ campaign to save millions of lives by achieving an Arms Trade Treaty that will reign in the irresponsible trade of AK-47s, tanks, ammunition, and other conventional weapons. Now is the time for “a little less conversation” and “a little more action” for powerful countries that are reluctant to agree on specific terms that would ensure that the treaty has an impact on the ground. While the vast majority of states are pushing for a stronger treaty, these few countries must remember the human cost of the arms trade.
Sometimes a song or two can be a good reminder.