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Conveying the "Spirit of Hiroshima" to Junior Diplomats in the Field of Arms Reduction |
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| Participants visiting the A-bomb Dome |
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Participants from the Arms Reduction Fellowship Program, a group of specialists
from the governments of twenty-five nations to promote arms reduction,
learned about the "The Spirit of Hiroshima" and truth of the
effects of atomic weapons through inspections and seminars during their
visit from 23 to 25 September.
The program has been a training scheme endorsed by the United Nations
since 1979. Participants have been visiting Hiroshima annually since 1983.
More than 750 people have participated in the program in Hiroshima thus
far.
The evening of the 23rd the participants were greeted by Major Matsui of Hiroshima, and met with
atomic bomb eyewitnesses and members of the public at their welcome reception.
The next day the participants visited the A-bomb Dome, the Children's
Peace Monument and offered flowers to the victims of the atomic bomb. They
then visited Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum as well as Hiroshima National
Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims.
In the afternoon the participants were given an explanation of Mayors
for Peace by Steven Leeper, Chairman of this Foundation. After this they
watched the film "Hiroshima – A Mothers' Prayer" followed by
a talk given by Mr Keijiro Matsushima, a survivor of the atomic bombing
appointed a special envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They gained
much important information during their study program.
Feedback from participants included, "the tragedy of the atomic
bombing from the perspective of the victims was fully conveyed ... this
program is well constructed"; "Mayors for Peace is an important
initiative for world peace that all people should support"; and "I
must convey to my government the things I have learned here and push urgently
for them to play a greater role in bringing about the end of nuclear weapons". |
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(Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division)
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