Request for Leader Cities for Mayors for Peace
Trip to Asia
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In September 2014, Mr. Yasuyoshi Komizo, Secretary-General of Mayors for Peace (Chairperson of this Foundation) visited South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia and India.
The aims of the trip were to ask Mayors for Peace member cities to assume the position of Leader Cities, recruit new member cities, and attend the 8th International Conference of Peace Museums.
Mr. Komizo's main activities are outlined below.
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Requests to become Leader Cities, and join Mayors for Peace
Mr. Komizo asked the Mayor of Muntinlupa City (the Philippines), the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur City (Malaysia) and the Mayor of Kochi City (India) to assume the post of Leader Cities.
He also requested that Manila City (the Philippines) become a member of Mayors for Peace.
The Mayor of Kochi City accepted the position of Leader City.
The Mayors of the other three cities said that they would proactively consider the request.
Attendance at the 8th International Conference of Peace Museums and Acceptance of the 7th No Gun Ri Peace Prize/Human Rights Prize
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Mr. Komizo asks the Mayor of Kochi City (right) to become a Leader City
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On September 19, Mr. Komizo attended the 8th International Conference of Peace Museums (sponsor: No Gun Ri International Peace Foundation) held in Chungcheongbuk-do in South Korea.
As representative of Hiroshima, hit by the atomic bomb, Mr. Komizo gave the keynote speech on the actual damage from the bomb and the activities of Mayors for Peace.
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No Gun Ri Peace Prize awards ceremony
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Mayors for Peace received the 7th No Gun Ri Peace Prize/Human Rights Prize from the No Gun Ri International Peace Foundation.
At the awards ceremony that was held prior to the opening ceremony of the above conference, Dr. Chung Koodo, Chairman of the No Gun Ri International Peace Foundation, presented Mr. Komizo with a plaque and prize money of 10 million won.
Mayors for Peace presented the Foundation with a sapling of a 2nd generation atomic bombed gingko tree.
A tree-planting ceremony was held (organized by the No Gun Ri Foundation) in No Gun Ri Peace Park.
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Meeting with Dr. Mahathir, former prime minister of Malaysia
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On September 24, Mr. Komizo met with Malaysia's former prime minister Dr. Mahathir in Putrajaya City, Malaysia.
They held a discussion on expanding the membership and strengthening the framework of Mayors for Peace.
Dr. Mahathir is currently involved in activities focused on making war a crime and developing peaceful resolution measures for conflict.
He stated that there are likely to be possibilities for collaboration, given the aims of Mayors for peace to abolish nuclear weapons and build the foundations for perpetual world peace, and the fact that the focus on the importance of education for young people is a common point with Dr. Mahathir's activities.
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Meeting with former Malaysian prime minister Dr. Mahathir, and presenting paper cranes
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Attendance at Kerala Region YMCA ceremony to kick off the campaign for abolition of nuclear weapons (India)
On September 26, a ceremony was held in Kochi City, India, to kick off a petition campaign to demand the start of negotiations for a treaty to ban nuclear weapons.
The campaign is being run jointly by NGO SEEDS INDIA and Kerala Region YMCA.
Mr. Komizo participated in the campaign kick off ceremony, where he discussed peace with the young YMCA members, praising the passion of the young people who will be leaders in the future, and conveying to them his heartfelt expectations for their success in the future.
Signatures gathered in the campaign will be entrusted to Mayors for Peace until the 2015 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference.
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Attending the Kerala Region YMCA ceremony to kick off the campaign opposing nuclear weapons (India)
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Presentation of paper cranes
As a part of the Policies Regarding the Transformation and Honoring of the Paper Cranes, paper cranes that had been dedicated at the Children's Peace Monument in Hiroshima's Peace Park were presented to the mayors of Muntinlupa City, Manila City, Kuala Lumpur City, and Kochi City, as well as the Chairman of the No Gun Ri International Peace Foundation and Dr. Mahathir, former prime minister of Malaysia.
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| (Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division) |
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