The world’s expectations of Hiroshima

While opportunities for nuclear arms reduction are arising, many regional conflicts still persist and international terrorist groups still operate in the world today. Under these circumstances, political instability can lead to a vicious cycle of even more violence and acts of terrorism.

The world is ready for a new wave of peace movement aimed at building a society based on trust and mutual help among all people, a society in which everyone can live in safety. In order to create this kind of society, such a wave needs to work steadily on reconstruction, social development and nuclear abolition. 
 

Moreover, the world will require a base for these peacebuilding endeavors. This base should be located in a place that symbolizes the desire for peace and is suited for nurturing activities for nuclear abolition, post-conflict reconstruction and peacebuilding pursuits. 

In addition to reminding the world of the disastrous aftermath of nuclear weapons, Hiroshima can also offer hope for peace through its success in reviving from the ashes of destruction.

This initiative takes advantage of Hiroshima’s strengths and identifies the role the Prefecture must play and the responsibilities it must carry out for the achievement of global peace.

The initiative has also clarified the need to create a sustainable mechanism that can collect and coordinate human resources, knowhow and funding from around the world for the purpose of nurturing new peacebuilding ventures. 

It is my hope that Hiroshima Prefecture’s peacebuilding efforts based on this initiative will garner approval and cooperation from around the world and make great progress.

 

October 201
Yasushi Akashi
Chairman, “Hiroshima for Global Peace” Plan Formulation Committee

A message of peace from Hiroshima to the world

 

Our invariably changing world demands an entirely new approach for creating peace, one that comprehensively encompasses nuclear abolition, post-conflict reconstruction, peacebuilding and security frameworks.
 

Therefore, we asked researchers and experts who have experience in high-level policy-making in the international arena to view Hiroshima from a global vantage point, embrace the region as a symbolic point of origin for the pursuit of peace and discuss nuclear abolition, post-conflict reconstruction and peacebuilding issues.

The resulting Hiroshima for Global Peace Plan summarizes Hiroshima’s mission and role in the international community as well as specific actions the prefecture must take in order to advance a new approach for achieving peace in the world.

In addition to teaching the world about the suffering caused by nuclear weapons, Hiroshima is also in a unique position to encourage faith in post-conflict reconstruction and hope for the future. To this day, Hiroshima has worked hard for global peace and will continue doing so. 

As a place that has experienced both annihilation and recovery, Hiroshima holds a special responsibility to promote world peace. We who live here are determined to carry out this duty with help of the international community.

 
It is my sincere hope that our aspirations for global peace will spread from Hiroshima to the entire world.

October 2011
Hidehiko Yuzaki
Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture