Hiroshima-ICAN Academy on Nuclear Weapons and Global Security Hiroshima Session Day 1
The Hiroshima session of the “Hiroshima-ICAN Academy on Nuclear Weapons and Global Security” was held in Hiroshima City for four days from November 13 (Wed.) to November 16 (Sat.).
November 13 (Wed.) Day 1
○ Day 1 program
・Orientation
・Tour of Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum
・Welcome dinner
On November 13 (Wed.), the Hiroshima Session of “Hiroshima-ICAN Academy on Nuclear Weapons and Global Security 2024” finally began. For four days, participants gathered in Hiroshima from around the world to discuss and learn more about issues of nuclear weapons and security face-to-face. So far, participants had seen and talked with each other online during the four webinars, but this was the first time they had actually met face to face. The meeting was a mixture of both joy and tension, as our friends from behind the screen were now right in front of us.
The first day of the Hiroshima session began with an orientation.
To open the session, Mr. Akira Kawasaki, ICAN International Steering Committee member and co-chair of Peace Boat, explained the global situation regarding nuclear weapons and mentioned that the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) had been selected for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. In addition, he expressed his expectations of the participants, saying, “You are the last generation to be able to talk directly with A-bomb survivors. I hope you will absorb the different experiences and memories of the A-bomb survivors.”
This was followed by group discussions on topics such as what participants hoped to learn at the Hiroshima session, where they shared their enthusiasm for the Academy and the nuclear disarmament initiatives being implemented in their home countries.
In the afternoon, the participants were divided into two groups to tour the monuments in Peace Memorial Park, including the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims and the Children’s Peace Monument, and received explanations about how each monument was built and how the buildings in the park were used before, during, and after the atomic bombing.
The participants then toured the Peace Memorial Museum, where they saw the exhibits at the museum, including the belongings of A-bomb survivors and materials on the actual atomic bombing of Hiroshima and its aftermath, and were exposed to the reality of the atomic bombing, such as the tragic reality of the actual bombing and the horrific damage it caused.
In the evening, a welcome dinner was held to welcome the participants who had gathered in Hiroshima and to promote friendship among them. We also invited Mr. Sakuma, President of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, to congratulate the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
Hiroshima Prefecture believes that as the hibakusha population ages, the role of the next generation of young people will be crucial to the continued dissemination of the message of nuclear abolition, and we emphasize that they be exposed to the reality of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima so that they can become the leaders of that next generation.
In the remaining three days, I hope that participants will deepen their knowledge of the reality of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima through many experiences, including interaction with A-bomb survivors and visits to the Radiation Effects Research Foundation, and come to their own conclusions about what each of them can do.
Other Programs
- Click here to see the Online and Webiner session.
- Click here to see the second day of the Hiroshima session.
- Click here to see the third day of the Hiroshima session.
- Click here to see the last day of the Hiroshima session.
