Mayors for Peace sent a delegation, including President Kazumi Matsui (Mayor of Hiroshima), Vice President Shiro Suzuki (Mayor of Nagasaki), and Secretary-General Takehiro Kagawa (Chairperson of our Foundation), to the 11^th Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference held in New York City in April—May 2026.

Speech to the NGO Session

In his opening remarks, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres first outlined the purpose of the conference: "to stand together and safeguard humanity from the grave threat of nuclear annihilation." He went on to say, "Today, a state of collective amnesia has taken hold…. The Treaty has been eroding." He urged participants to "breathe life into the Treaty once more."
At the NGO session, President Matsui and Vice President Suzuki made speeches as representatives of Mayors for Peace. President Matsui pointed out, "Today, armed conflicts continue to unfold…causing inhumane consequences, up to extreme levels. As ordinary citizens, we are forced to live our daily lives with a profound sense of anxiety." Against this backdrop, he went on to say, "We must reaffirm the value of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation framework." He concluded his speech by saying, "Once again, I urge all policymakers to advance nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation through diplomatic efforts based on dialogue."

Meetings with Representatives of Nuclear-weapon States and UN Officials

Amid today's tense international situation, our delegates exchanged views with numerous government representatives, including those from four nuclear-weapon states. They also met with UN officials. Through these discussions, they confirmed a shared understanding, based on humanitarian impact that nuclear weapons have the potential to destroy humanity; that all nations aspire to a world without nuclear weapons; and that all therefore recognize the vital role of the NPT in pursuit of this goal. Mayors for Peace officially urged the nuclear-weapon states to fulfill their obligations under Article VI, emphasizing that this request represents the earnest wish of global civil society. Meetings with the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and other leaders reaffirmed the significance and importance of the international peace activities carried out by Mayors for Peace, as they expressed their expectations for the organization's continued contribution to peace.

A Side Event with UNIDIR

With the assistance of Tsutomu Kono, a fellow at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and an Executive Advisor to our Foundation, Mayors for Peace co-hosted a side event with UNIDIR for the first time, titled "Taking Stock of the NPT: Achievements, Persistent Challenges, and Emerging Opportunities". We reviewed the achievements and challenges of efforts undertaken in past review processes and discussed the future direction for ensuring that the NPT remains a meaningful framework for the international community.
Moderator Robin Geiss, Director of UNIDIR, opened the meeting, then three panelists delivered presentations.
First, from UNIDIR, Chen Zak Kane, Head of Project, Middle East WMD-Free Zone, emphasized the need for safeguards to adapt to emerging technologies, noting that while AI could lower barriers to WMD development, real constraints remain on how far it enables new actors to build nuclear weapons.
Next, Shun Oshita, a lecturer at the Hiroshima Peace Institute of Hiroshima City University, said, "Technical cooperation to developing nations for peaceful nuclear applications, like radiotherapy, has eased their frustrations over the NPT's operation. One of the options to prevent it from masking the insufficient progress on the good-faith obligation to negotiate nuclear disarmament is setting up an NPT Secretariat under the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA)."
Lastly, Randy Rydell, who formerly worked for UNODA stated, "There is a serious disconnect between nuclear-weapon states and non-nuclear-weapon states. It is vital that this conference, at the very least, reaffirm each party’s fundamental obligations."
After the side event, President Matsui and Robin Geiss confirmed their shared commitment to intensified cooperation between Mayors for Peace and UNIDIR.

The Mayors for Peace Youth Forum

At another side event, Hiroshima Peace Institute's Shun Oshita moderated a Youth Forum. Two students from Hi roshima Nagisa High School quoted hibakusha Hiromu Morishita: "Humans create war, but humans can also create peace." They went on to urge the audience to "…keep taking action, and things will change." Two students from Notre Dame Seishin High School pointed out that, "Deeper mutual understanding through dialogue and international exchange should replace nuclear deterrence." Two students from Hiroshima University High School urged, "We have to keep warning people about the dangers of nuclear weapons from a scientific and empirical perspective."
During the discussion following the presentations, in response to a comment from an audience member that a platform was needed to share information about each other's peace activities, an official from UNODA emphasized the necessity of youth engagement in disarmament and the importance of strengthening connections among individuals and organizations. The official also stated that UNODA planned to establish a platform that would facilitate broad information sharing. In response to a question from a youth participant about how to bridge the gap between ideals and reality in nuclear disarmament, a trainee from UNODA offered words of encouragement. "Hiroshima and Nagasaki have launched wonderful initiatives, and your very presence here is having an impact on decision-makers." This led to a lively, meaningful exchange of views.
Through this exchange, youth participants were exposed to diverse perspectives on nuclear weapons and peacebuilding, reaffirming their understanding that peace must be built across national borders and political differences. Some participants expressed the idea that "precisely because the international situation is so challenging right now, we have to help Hiroshima raise awareness about the dangers of nuclear weapons." This side event was a valuable opportunity to reflect on their own roles and how they should engage with society. Mayors for Peace will continue to create opportunities for young people to learn, think, and act.