During this spring of 2023, I have had the pleasure to participate in three distinct events focused on young people grappling with the abolition of nuclear weapons and practical steps towards effective peacebuilding in the world. This experience has given me great hope in the intelligence, kindness and energy with which global youth are approaching these and other vexing challenges in the 21^st century.
　Each event was distinct, brought together a range of young communities, and worked through a variety of structured inquiries and activities, but all three were of a piece: young people taking on existential nuclear issues that have been passed down to them by previous generations.

Hiroshima G7 Summit Junior Conference

　For three days in late March, high school students living in Japan who have family roots in one of the G7 countries gathered together in Hiroshima.
　The students divided into three groups each with a unique focus: Peace, Sustainability, and Diversity and Inclusion. They participated in the peace program to learn about the reality of the atomic bombings and took a field trip based on each theme. Each group had lively discussions and found points of agreement to draft their outcome document.
　On the final day they hammered out their formal statement. This statement had three sections: issues that each group recognized, actions that each group recommended, and commitments that they made for future actions and endeavors.
　In the beginning of the final outcome document titled From Hiroshima to the World, which was presented to Prime Minister Kishida, it said, "We need to make sure that everyone truly understands the diverse history of Hiroshima and its effects on humanity in order to ensure the tragedy is not repeated. Only by standing in this place and embracing the victims' experiences can we fully understand how to build a peaceful future together." This was their vision of where we stand today, and what they envisioned our collective future could, and should, include.

International Student / Youth Pugwash dialogue

　On April 25 I was invited to take part in an online event held by International Student / Youth Pugwash (ISYP). ISYP is a youth organization that operates within the larger Pugwash community.
　The organization adopted the name of its first host city of their conference in 1958, Pugwash, Nova Scotia in Canada. They called on scientists from around the world to meet together and to discuss science and world affairs, countering the Cold War divisions that split much of the world, including the scientific world.
　ISYP, now based in Germany, began to operate in the 1970s. The members are generally college students in many different countries who work to make the world more peaceful, and specifically, to eliminate nuclear weapons.
　The basis of this event was Turkish and Nigerian leaders of ISYP having invited me to have a dialogue with their members on humanitarian consequences brought by nuclear weapons and technology, raised in my new book, Nuclear Bodies: The Global Hibakusha (Yale 2022). Attendees joined from across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
　It was clear to me that this group was very well informed and engaged broadly on issues related to peace, environmental action and nuclear abolition. Many members discussed the potential use of nuclear weapons in the Russian war against Ukraine, and also the recent Germany shutdown of its nuclear power reactors.

G7 Youth Summit

　ICAN and Hiroshima University held a G7 Youth Summit in Hiroshima during three days in late April. Many of the 50 participants are active in various antinuclear, peacebuilding organizations, NGOs and even governmental agencies in their home countries. They joined the G7 Youth Summit to develop advanced training in the specifics of nuclear issues, and to enhance their networks between nations with young professionals in other countries and movements.
　They heard lectures from academics and activists, visited the Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum and listened to testimony from Keiko Ogura. One participant said, "I knew about the atomic bombings, but I strongly realized the humanitarian consequence brought by nuclear weapons after the visit to the museum and listening to the hibakusha's testimony."
　On April 26, an event in which seven participants that hailed from the G7 countries spoke to the public was held. After welcome remarks by Mayor Matsui, each participant spoke about the unique path that brought them into the work they were doing in their home countries, and about what brought them to Hiroshima. Then they reflected on their experiences during the Summit in Hiroshima. At the end of the Summit, the participants produced an outcome document with their commitments, "As emerging leaders of the world, we come together, united in our resolve to achieve a safer world free from nuclear weapons and their devastating consequences," and called upon the leaders and representatives to the G7 Hiroshima Summit to work together to safeguard their collective humanity and the future of our planet. 　As a historian, I am hunkered down in the minutia and burdens of the past; it was a joyful experience for me to stand aside, feel the energy and hear the ideas of young leaders from around the world. The challenges of our day felt like they were encountering a strong, fresh wind. New shoots were rising in the peace garden.