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Nobel Peace Prize laureates deliver final remarks in Hiroshima

by Rie Nii and Toshiko Bajo, Staff Writers

On November 14, the final day of the 2010 World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, the six Nobel Peace Prize laureates, Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba, and Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki delivered remarks to the public in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The following are excerpts from their remarks.

Frederik Willem de Klerk, former President of South Africa

“We have discussed the threat of nuclear weapons arising from regional conflicts and terrorism… We analyzed the consequences of nuclear war and discussed the fundamental illegality and immorality of nuclear weapons…We would like to congratulate them (Mayor Akiba, Governor Yuzaki, and the people of Hiroshima) on the exemplary role that Hiroshima continues to play in the struggle for a world without nuclear weapons… It is with great respect that all of us are here today at this most sacred place.”

Mairead Maguire, peace activist from Northern Ireland

“It is with the deepest respect that we thank the Japanese people for giving us all the opportunity to continue to remember all those who have died in the best way we can by dedicating ourselves to working for a world without nuclear weapons and war, a world without human beings killing each other. To create such a world, every single one of us has to deepen our love, deepen our compassion, and reach out to everyone in the world today. Particularly, for the sake of the children, that we give the legacy to our children, a world without violence. This is not a dream. This becomes a reality when we believe passionately in peace, a world without war and weapons, and we work to make our dream come true.”

Mohamed ElBaradei, former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

“We would like to see a world that is based on cooperation and not confrontation, a world that is based on utmost respect for the sanctity of human life and a world that does not settle our differences through killing each other. To do that, we need to understand that we are one human family irrespective of our race, color, and religion… We are here to reaffirm our commitment, all of us, every one of us, that we will change our world and we will prevail if we work together and if we set our goal to have a world that is based on our humanity, respect for the sanctity of human life, not on death and destruction.”

Jody Williams, anti-landmine activist from the United States

“Together, the ordinary citizens of civil society who came together and pushed governments to do what they would not have done without us to create the Mine Ban Treaty and the Cluster Munitions Convention… We have the power to create magic and that magic is to get rid of nuclear weapons forever… The few governments that have nuclear weapons must listen to us. They cannot terrorize the world anymore with their nuclear addiction and their need to be powerful with nuclear weapons. I invite each and every one of you to be extraordinary and work together, all of us, in a campaign to get rid of nuclear weapons now and forever. The Nobel Peace Prize laureates here today are willing to work with you to make that happen.”

Shirin Ebadi, human rights activist from Iran

Each time I visit your city, I carry two opposing feelings: one of deep sadness that weighs on me for the suffering that you have endured. And yet, I cannot help but admire the greatness of your spirit and forgiveness and forgiving what you have endured. Rather than using your energy for revenge, you have mobilized it to rebuild your city… Your approach can be a model for all of us in a world that is filled with crises and prone to conflicts. We are here to promise you that we will use all of our power to ensure that another Hiroshima will not occur in terms of the event that happened here and to ensure that the world will move forward for peace, free of nuclear weapons.”

The 14th Dalai Lama, the supreme leader of Tibetan Buddhism

“I think the spirit and message of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are now growing. Still, we need more efforts from the spirit of Nagasaki and Hiroshima; your spirit must reach every part of the world… The world belongs to people, the world does not belong to government… The problems we human beings are facing here are not created by God, but by ourselves. So we must make efforts to overcome these problems… There are a lot of differences in the major religions, but that does not matter. I believe action is the final sort of decision maker. So action, not government, action by people is very important.”

Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba

A-bomb survivors have continued to make the appeal that human beings and nuclear weapons cannot coexist. They convey to the world the message that we must break the chains of hatred and violence, and bring about reconciliation. I believe that we can create a world without war, violence, starvation, poverty, and environmental destruction by the year 2020. An era would begin in which nuclear weapons are regarded as a relic of the past.

Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki

Three challenges must be addressed in order to create a peaceful world without nuclear weapons: nuclear abolition, peace building and restoration, and a new security framework that replaces nuclear deterrence. To meet these challenges, we must first consider our actions, then pursue those actions, and finally share our actions with others. We were able to take a step forward, thanks to a successful summit.

(Originally published on November 16, 2010)

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