On August 6^th of last year, the Hiroshima Children's Peace Assembly (to evolve into the Peace Learning Assembly) was held. This Assembly brings together children sent to Hiroshima for the Peace Memorial Ceremony and local Hiroshima children. They learn about the experiences of atomic bomb survivors, present their daily activities promoting a Culture of Peace, and share their thoughts on peace. Approximately 1,200 children from around 50 municipalities across Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa Prefecture in the south, gathered for the event.
The first session, "Learning about the atomic bombing experience", began with a testimony from Ms. Yoshiko Kajimoto, who shared her personal experience of the atomic bombing. Following this, participants listened to a reading of a firsthand account of the atomic bombing by volunteer readers from the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims. Afterward, all participants recited the atomic bomb poem "Genshibakudan (Atomic Bomb)" aloud together.
The second session, titled "Let's keep passing on the baton of peace", featured presentations from nine groups from within and outside Hiroshima. Participants shared their productive efforts to create a peaceful world, including English guided tours of the atomic bomb sites by Hiroshima Youth Peace Volunteers, "the Anti-Bullying Declaration" by students from Hiroshima Municipal Koi Junior High School, and reports from Peace Ambassadors representing Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, and Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture.
In a survey of participants, the testimony of atomic bombing experience was highly rated by 94% of participants, the reading of the atomic bomb poem by 89%, and the peace initiative presentation by 84%.
Furthermore, a significant 82% of participants expressed that they had gained a deeper understanding of the value of peace, recognizing that it is not something to be taken for granted. This highlights the importance of this Assembly.
Additionally, the children provided the following feedback:

• It was a valuable experience for children from across Japan to come together and learn about the importance of peace. I believe it's crucial for our generation, the future leaders of the world, to be conscious of peace and actively work towards it.
• The atomic bomb survivor's story made the horrors of war painfully clear to me. It was so disturbing that I wanted to turn away. It was heartbreaking to realize that such a terrible thing had actually happened. I felt a deep sense of responsibility to share this story with others.
• I was deeply moved by the expert's recitation of the atomic bomb poem. Reading the poem together helped me to fully understand the emotions and message behind the words.
• I think it's wonderful that students from different regions and schools came together for this kind of activity. It made me realize that we can all share a common desire for peace, and I hope this will lead to a more peaceful world. I hope this project will continue for many years to come.

We believe that this assembly will be an important opportunity for children from all over Japan to come together, share their thoughts about peace, and put them into practice in their daily lives. In 2025, which will mark 80th year since the atomic bombing, we would like to further enrich the content of this event, just like the "Hiroshima Youth Peace Meeting" previously introduced.
We sincerely ask all local government officials to participate in this event in Hiroshima on August 6^th.