The Department of Defense hosted the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Symposium on Monday, December 3, 2012 at the National Defense University at Fort McNair. 

The symposium marked the 20th anniversary of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program.  Originally created by Congress through the 1991 Nunn-Lugar legislation, the CTR Program has expanded in response to changed threats and to take advantage of new opportunities.  

Titled “Partnering for a More Secure World,” the symposium brought together WMD experts and thought leaders from across government, Congress, academia, and the international community to discuss the evolution and future of the CTR Program.  It featured remarks by President Barack Obama, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, and a discussion with Senators Sam Nunn (D-Ga., retired) and Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) moderated by David Hoffman, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and Its Dangerous Legacy.  In addition, senior U.S. and international officials participated in panel discussions on how CTR can contribute to achieving international security goals.