Nuclear Arsenal Elimination Advocacy to Resume in Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Next week, the annual peace ceremonies for Hiroshima and Nagasaki will mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings that devastated these cities. The mayors of both cities, Kazumi Matsui from Hiroshima and Shiro Suzuki from Nagasaki, are advocating for the complete abolition of nuclear weapons and urging world leaders to take urgent action to prevent nuclear war.
On August 6, Mayor Matsui will deliver a speech at the Hiroshima ceremony, emphasizing the enduring human costs of the bombings and the grave threat posed by nuclear weapons today. He will renew his push for nuclear disarmament and call on leaders to immediately begin discussing a security framework based on trust through dialogue.
On August 9, Suzuki will deliver a speech at the Nagasaki ceremony, expressing concern about the risk of nuclear war and calling for world leaders to stop wars immediately. He will urge countries to chart a concrete path toward nuclear weapon abolition and invite all nations, including those involved in current conflicts, to the ceremony, signaling a plea for universal responsibility in addressing nuclear threats.
In his speech, Suzuki will also call on young people to initiate projects that can be carried out during daily life, emphasizing the importance of passing on the survivors’ testimonies to future generations. He will not repeat the points made by Mayor Matsui in his Hiroshima speech, focusing instead on the unique feelings of Nagasaki and its message to people all over the world.
While Matsui will warn that more world leaders are thinking that nuclear weapons are essential for national defense, Suzuki will emphasize the cruelty of nuclear weapons and the need to transcend race and borders to foster global peace. Both mayors are committed to ensuring that the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki serve as a reminder of the devastating consequences of nuclear war and a call to action for a nuclear-free world.
The annual peace ceremonies for Hiroshima and Nagasaki are a poignant reminder of the past and a call to action for the future. As the world faces heightened global tensions and competing geopolitical dynamics, the mayors' messages of peace, nuclear disarmament, and the importance of dialogue and cooperation are more relevant than ever.
- During his speech at the Nagasaki ceremony, Mayor Suzuki will appeal to media outlets to cover the ongoing war-and-conflicts around the world, highlighting the potential for nuclear escalation and emphasizing the need for general-news reporting that focuses on fostering peace.
- In a rare joint effort, both mayors, Matsui and Suzuki, have pledged to collaborate with global media in sharing their cities' stories and advocating for the abolition of nuclear weapons, promoting robust media discussions on crucial political issues that impact the future of humanity.
