Young people throughout the world have pushed for government reform when it comes to climate change and gun control. Los Altos teen Saloni Shah is tackling another global concern: nuclear weapons.
Describing herself as a social advocate who “educates and empowers,” Shah is a lead delegate to the Critical Issues Forum (CIF), directed by Masako Toki at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey. The CIF focuses on informing and empowering high school students about the need for nuclear nonproliferation, disarmament, peace and security.
The forum holds international conferences each year, inviting high school students around the world and ambassadors from the United States, Russia and Japan.
“It may seem not as relevant as gun violence and climate change,” the 16-year-old junior said in a phone interview, “but if one country or one regime or one administration sends off a nuclear or atomic bomb, it’s going to be a huge catastrophe for the world.”
She said her passion for world peace and the uses of nuclear energy began in her freshman year at The Harker School in San Jose. That’s when her physics teacher, Eric Nelson, took notice of Shah’s growing interest in the history of nuclear weapons, nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament treaties. Nelson, CIF adviser, introduced Shah to the initiative.
‘This is my fight’
Since joining CIF, Shah said she’s been intrigued by Japan’s role in World War II and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by U.S. forces – especially after listening to accounts from those who survived the nuclear strikes.
“Hearing from the survivors of those communities really hit home, and it really made me think of my own community,” she said. “It’s something that’s huge in this world, and it’s extremely important to have people who will make that their fight. And I feel like this is my fight.”
Shah has been selected as her school’s lead delegate to the CIF international conference for three years in a row and was a panelist one year. She was invited to give the opening statement at this year’s conference in Monterey – the first high school student selected to do so, Shah said.
“I really want to give off a message of hope and inspiration,” she said. “And so, I think I’ve really gone from being a regular participant to now being someone who’s been here for years – someone who hopes to really ease other people’s fears, as well as inspire and give them hope for the future.”
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the conference has been postponed from March to April and will be moved online. Amid international tensions surrounding the pandemic and conflicting views among the participating countries, Shah said it is her goal to set the right tone.
“Especially with everyone’s fears about the coronavirus and about the U.S. pulling out of treaties, as well as the determination of the INF (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty), there’s a lot of fear right now in the world,” she said. “After hearing that (CIF) wanted me to (give opening remarks), I think it was determination to write the remarks in a way and to sink their remarks in a way that would really ease fears and would really give hope.”
The theme for this year’s conference is “youth.” Seeing the “international ripple effect” that youths around the globe have made – such as Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg and students at Parkland High School fighting for stricter gun laws – Shah said she wants to be that voice for her cause on an international scale.
“I don’t think that anyone is too young to push for what they believe in,” she said. “If (congressional leaders) tell me I’m too young, you know, point out Greta Thunberg, point out the Parkland students who fought back against gun violence with their marches and point out these people who’ve inspired such big change and inspired millions of people through their efforts. … I am allowed to fight for what I believe in. As long as you are informed, you are not too young to fight for what you believe in and to inspire others to fight for what they believe in as well.”
For more information, visit sites.miis.edu/criticalissuesforum or nonproliferation.org/education.
