Citizens’ voices heard at World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates
Nov. 13, 2010
by Uzaemonnaotsuka Tokai, Rie Nii, and Masahiro Yanagimoto, Staff Writers
“The 2010 World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates,” which opened at the Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima on November 12, was joined by a total of 1,200 people who came to observe the proceedings, including citizens, students, and A-bomb survivors. As they listened to the Nobel Peace Prize laureates make passionate appeals from Hiroshima for nuclear abolition, the members of the audience felt anew that the elimination of nuclear weapons has developed into a strong international movement.
Many university students sat in the section reserved for visitors. Sho Sugawara, 19, a freshman at a university in Tokyo, felt that he learned the importance of continuing to convey the reality of the atomic bombings and that hope has been entrusted to his generation. Mr. Sugawara asked the laureates how people in the world can be persuaded to share Hiroshima’s wish for nuclear abolition.
Yurika Terada, 21, a senior at a university in Hiroshima, said with conviction, “I was moved by the laureates’ argument that money should be used to help the developing world instead of being spent on the development of nuclear arms. I would also like to do what I can to help the effort for peace.”
Rikako Ogata, 29, a housewife in Hiroshima, remarked, “Personally, I have been thinking that nuclear abolition is impossible, but I was encouraged by the words of the Nobel Peace laureates.”
Haruko Moritaki, 71, co-director of the Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (HANWA), a citizen’s group, commented, “I recognized again the importance of continuing to convey Hiroshima’s message by strengthening our cooperation with the world.”
Sunao Tsuboi, 85, the co-chair of the Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, said firmly, “Our appeal from Hiroshima is surely being heard by the world.”
(Originally published on November 13, 2010)
“The 2010 World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates,” which opened at the Grand Prince Hotel Hiroshima on November 12, was joined by a total of 1,200 people who came to observe the proceedings, including citizens, students, and A-bomb survivors. As they listened to the Nobel Peace Prize laureates make passionate appeals from Hiroshima for nuclear abolition, the members of the audience felt anew that the elimination of nuclear weapons has developed into a strong international movement.
Many university students sat in the section reserved for visitors. Sho Sugawara, 19, a freshman at a university in Tokyo, felt that he learned the importance of continuing to convey the reality of the atomic bombings and that hope has been entrusted to his generation. Mr. Sugawara asked the laureates how people in the world can be persuaded to share Hiroshima’s wish for nuclear abolition.
Yurika Terada, 21, a senior at a university in Hiroshima, said with conviction, “I was moved by the laureates’ argument that money should be used to help the developing world instead of being spent on the development of nuclear arms. I would also like to do what I can to help the effort for peace.”
Rikako Ogata, 29, a housewife in Hiroshima, remarked, “Personally, I have been thinking that nuclear abolition is impossible, but I was encouraged by the words of the Nobel Peace laureates.”
Haruko Moritaki, 71, co-director of the Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (HANWA), a citizen’s group, commented, “I recognized again the importance of continuing to convey Hiroshima’s message by strengthening our cooperation with the world.”
Sunao Tsuboi, 85, the co-chair of the Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, said firmly, “Our appeal from Hiroshima is surely being heard by the world.”
(Originally published on November 13, 2010)
