Mayors for Peace is an international organization dedicated to freeing the world of all nuclear weapons by 2020. The 150th U.S. city to sign on is Boulder!

It happened during the City Council meeting on Tuesday evening. Boulderites Bill and Susan Marine had visited Hiroshima, Japan, learned about the organization, felt that it was an ideal possibility for Boulder to join and brought their idea to former mayor Matt Appelbaum.

He brought it to the council and the council unanimously said "Yes!"

What's so important about this?

There are three things that we should all keep in mind:

1.) We have a right to a future free of nuclear weapons.

2.) A nuclear-weapons-free future is possible -- the time is now. Critical decisions in the next six months will decide the future for generations to come.

3.) There is big money for defense contractors and politicians in continuing the global nuclear arms race. If we want a future free of nuclear weapons, we will have to do the hard work to create it.

Every new president must provide the strategic framework for all decisions about the U.S. nuclear arsenal -- how many bombs we need, for example.

President Barack Obama's framework, the Nuclear Posture Review, is due by the end of the year. Knowing that there are 150 U.S. cities supporting his commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons gives him clout and political protection.

Same with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the U.S. and Russia. Presidents Obama and Medvedyev now need to renew the agreement. The more cities that sign on to the Mayors for Peace campaign, the stronger the leverage Obama will have in negotiating with the Russians.

Also in the next six months, the possibility of the U.S. ratifying the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty is emerging. Some in the arms control community have indicated a willingness to approve new bomb facilities in the U.S. as a condition of U.S. ratification. Strong public pressure can result in a CTBT ratified on its own merits -- no trade-off.

The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty committed nuclear weapons states in 1970 to "pursue in good faith negotiations leading to disarmament at an early date." Progress will be assessed during the month of May 2010 at the United Nations.

The U.S. and other nuclear weapon states need to demonstrate their renewed commitment to this sweeping document. The president needs the people behind him.

These are some of the reasons that joining the Mayors for Peace campaign is very significant.

If you are a student going home over the Thanksgiving break, find out if your city is part of it. Denver and Boulder both are.

The campaign hopes to double the number of U.S. cities by May for the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty review. Go for it!

Judith Mohling is a member of the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center.