Today is the 40th anniversary of the start of the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament. Hundreds of people walk for 259 days, from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., advocating for the elimination of nuclear weapons from the earth. The organizers declare bankruptcy shortly after the march begins, citing insurance and staffing costs, but the march proceeds anyway, joined by politicians and celebrities along the way.

The total number of nuclear weapons in the world has decreased by 80% since 1986, when global arsenals peaked and the same year as the march. While some international treaties limiting proliferation remain in effect, the last treaty limiting U.S. and Russian arsenals expired on February 5, 2026.