On December 10, 2024, in conjunction with the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony held in Oslo, Norway, a celebration ceremony titled "Spreading the Hibakusha's Wish for Peace to the World" was held to commemorate the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) and to share the hibakusha's desire for peace and the spirit of Hiroshima with many people.
  This Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in recognition of Nihon Hidankyo's long-standing efforts to share, both domestically and internationally, the message that "nuclear weapons must never be used again" through the eyewitness testimonies of hibakushas. Furthermore, in the process by which the "humanitarian initiative", grounded in the catastrophic and inhumane nature of nuclear weapons, led to the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the hibakusha's testimonies have been recognized as unique.
  The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Memorial Hall provided a fitting venue to honor the historical significance of the award and share in the joy of the occasion. Despite the late hour, the hall was filled to capacity with around 300 attendees, including approximately 30 hibakusha and representatives of related organizations, approximately 25 members of the Hiroshima City Council, and approximately 15 Directors from the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation (HPCF), along with many local citizens and university students from overseas. In addition, a panel exhibition was held in the lobby in front of the venue to commemorate the award and showcase the activities of hibakusha, including those of Nihon Hidankyo. (The exhibition is currently on display on the first floor of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.)
  At the beginning of the ceremony, Mayor of Hiroshima, Kazumi Matsui offered his congratulations and stated: "This award is a testament to the international recognition of the hibakusha's achievement in transcending their painful experiences and hatred and in transforming their wish that "no one else should ever suffer as we have" into a noble ideal — a heartfelt desire for peace of all humankind, which they have continued to communicate to the world. I will continue to encourage policymakers who still rely on nuclear deterrence to shift toward diplomatic approaches that promote peaceful resolution through dialogue. I also hope that the hibakusha's wish will be shared more widely and that efforts toward the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of lasting world peace will spread around the globe."
  Next, Ms. Chieko Kiriake, a hibakusha, took the stage and shared her thoughts: "The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo is a warning that the threat of nuclear war is real and present. While I felt encouraged by the recognition, I also felt a renewed sense of crisis. I believe this marks a new beginning. Protecting your own life and the lives of your family and your friends is a meaningful first step toward protecting peace. Let's join forces and start safeguarding peace from the places closest to us."
  Following this, Ms. Sachi Okamoto, a graduate student at Prefectural University of Hiroshima and a youth peace volunteer who shares the realities of the atomic bombings in English with foreign visitors, took the stage on behalf of the younger generation. Referring to her research on peacebuilding in graduate school, she expressed her determination: "The hibakusha have continued to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons, shown the path to peace over many years, and have now been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This gives us both hope and strength for building peace. I, too, am determined to contribute to the realization of a nuclear-free world."
Afterward, a public viewing of the award ceremony in Oslo was held at the venue, allowing attendees to watch the event together. When certificates and medals were presented to Mr. Toshiyuki Mimaki and other representative committee members of Nihon Hidankyo, the audience erupted in a round of applause. During the subsequent acceptance speech, the audience listened with deep emotion to the heartfelt and powerful words delivered by Mr. Terumi Tanaka, also a representative committee member.
  Finally, Mr. Shiro Tani, Vice-Chairperson of the HPCF, expressed his deep respect for the hardships endured by the hibakusha over the years. He also noted that last year, through their testimonies, the hibakusha conveyed the reality of the atomic bombings and the "spirit of Hiroshima", which embodies a call for peace, to over 113,000 children. He concluded by stating: "We will continue to create more opportunities like this and focus on raising peace awareness among younger generations. Furthermore, in light of the current international situation, we aim to make the wish for peace a shared consensus within civil society and encourage national leaders around the world to take action toward peace, led by the initiative of civil society." With this, the ceremony came to a close.
  Building on the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, the HPCF will continue to work in solidarity with all of you to convey the hibakusha's wish for peace to the world and to promote initiatives aimed at the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of lasting world peace.