The Pugwash Conferences take their name from the location of the first meeting, which was held in 1957 in the village of Pugwash, Nova Scotia, Canada– birthplace of the American philanthropist Cyrus Eaton– who hosted the meeting. The stimulus for that gathering was a manifesto issued in 1955 by Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein, which called upon scientists of all political persuasions to assemble to discuss the threat posed to civilization by the advent of thermonuclear weapons.

From that beginning evolved both a continuing series of meetings at locations all over the world — with a growing number and diversity of participants — and a rather decentralized organizational structure to coordinate and finance this activity. By late 2002, there have been over 275 Pugwash Conferences, symposia, and workshops, with a total attendance of over 10,000, according to the official website of the Pugwash.

The organisation is now led by eminent Indian scientist, prof. M.S. Swaminathan, while prof. Paolo Cotta-Ramusino of Italy serves as its Secretary General and Dr. Jeffrey Boutwell of the United States as its Executive Director.

In 1995 the Nobel Peace Prize (which carried a purse approximately one million US$) was assigned, in two equal parts, to Joseph Rotblat, then President of Pugwash, and to the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. Joseph Rotblat donated his half of the Prize to Pugwash and one-third to a special Pugwash

In 1992, The Albert Einstein Peace Prize (US$ 50,000) was awarded to Hans Bethe and Joseph Rotblat, who donated his half to the Pugwash Foundation. nepalnews.com by Dec 13 04