International Symposium for Peace 2013
"The Road to Nuclear Abolition: Inhumanity of nuclear weapons and passing A-bomb experience on to the next generation"
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The 2nd Session of the Preparatory Committee for the NPT Review Conference 2015 that was held in April 2013 saw the announcement of a joint statement on the inhumanity of nuclear weapons, concurred by over 70 nations.
Amidst this growing momentum for the abolition of nuclear weapons, on July 27 Hiroshima City, this Foundation and Asahi Shimbun newspaper jointly held the International Symposium for Peace.
This is the 19th time that the symposium has been held, and it took place at the International Conference Center Hiroshima on the theme of
"The Road to Nuclear Abolition: Inhumanity of nuclear weapons and passing A-bomb experience on to the next generation".
Keynote Speech
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Ms. Patricia Lewis, Research Director for International Security at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA), gave a keynote speech on the topic of
"The Inhumane Nature of Nuclear Arms; Efforts Toward their Delegitimization".
Mr. Kazumi Mizumoto, Vice-President of the Hiroshima Peace Institute, provided a commentary on Ms. Lewis' speech.
Ms. Lewis spoke about the current growing momentum of moves to decry the inhumanity of nuclear weapons, expressing frustration at the lack of progress being made on nuclear disarmament through the step-by-step process,
and speaking of efforts to further the public's interest by conveying the message of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and re-examining the destructive impact of nuclear weapons.
Speeches by Guests
Ms. Yoko Morishita, the internationally acclaimed ballerina, described the experiences of her grandmother and mother, who experienced the atomic bombing, as well as her own experiences as a 2nd-generation A-bomb survivor.
Stating that the atomic bomb must never be used again, she spoke of her wish for the abolition of nuclear weapons and perpetual world peace.
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Mr. Kazumi Mizumoto (left) providing a clear commentary on the speech by Ms. Patricia Lewis (right)
Ms. Yoko Morishita giving a speech on her wish for peace
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Panel Discussion
Reports by panelists:
Mr. Hidenori Watanabe, associate professor, Tokyo Metropolitan University:
The "Hiroshima Archives" is a movement where hibakusha and local people work together with producers to link memories of the past to the future.
This is played out on a digital globe, and may be viewed by anyone.
Mr. Andrew Gordon, professor, Harvard University:
I believe that the best way to communicate overseas what happened in the atomic bombing is to speak about what you heard and what you feel as part of normal conversation.
When there are linguistic barriers, it is effective to use photographs and images as you speak.
Ms. Mayu Yasuda, 3rd Generation Atomic Bomb Survivor, Participant in the Hibakusha Successor Training Program:
My generation is now at the age where we are starting to have children.
My friends say that even though they want to tell their own children what happened in Hiroshima, they are not able to accurately communicate to them Hiroshima's history.
Anyone living in Hiroshima is a messenger, with a responsibility to pass on the message.
Mr. Ryuichi Narita, professor, Japan Women’s University:
68 years have passed since the atomic bomb was dropped.
People have spent a long period of time communicating the atomic bomb experience, and as part of that process atomic bombing literature has developed.
The atomic bombing was an incident that humankind had never experienced before, and I think that it is for this reason that people have made the determination to communicate the atomic bombing to future generations as an experience of humankind.
Mr. Toshiaki Miura, Asahi Shimbun GLOBE Editor:
The UNESCO Constitution states "since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed".
I believe that this symposium is one action to construct defenses of peace in people's minds.
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Panel discussion
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| (Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division) |
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