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Hiroshima governor asks head of UN European headquarters to support “Hiroshima for Global Peace” plan

by Kenichiro Nozaki, Staff Writer, dispatched from Geneva, Switzerland

On November 1, Hidehiko Yuzaki, governor of Hiroshima Prefecture, met with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, director-general of the United Nations Office at Geneva, and requested his support for the prefecture’s “Hiroshima for Global Peace” plan. They met at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, and the governor also asked Mr. Tokayev to visit Hiroshima. Mr. Tokayev expressed his intention to support the plan and to visit Hiroshima next summer.

The 30-minute meeting was held behind closed doors. Toshihiro Hiyama, head of a delegation of nine prefectural assembly members, was also present. Answering questions from the media after the meeting, Mr. Yuzaki said that he described a plan to hold a round-table conference in Hiroshima for experts from different nations to discuss nuclear disarmament and the idea of creating a scorecard to rate the nuclear arms reduction efforts being made by nuclear weapon states. Mr. Tokayev responded that holding a conference in Hiroshima is an important undertaking and he will assist by sharing the plan with other nations.

Mr. Tokayev also serves as chairman of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament Issues. Mr. Yuzaki requested that Mr. Tokayev and other key members of the conference visit Hiroshima next summer to discuss peace building. Mr. Tokayev reportedly agreed to visit Hiroshima.

On October 31, the day before the meeting with Mr. Tokayev, the Hiroshima governor spoke with Sally Fegan-Wyles, acting head of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), which has an office in Hiroshima. They agreed to strengthen their cooperation with regard to human resources development in the field of peace building.

Alexander Mejia, director of the Local Development Program at UNITAR Geneva Headquarters and former head of the UNITAR Hiroshima office, was also present and shared his idea of carrying out a project in Hiroshima that would involve UN peacekeepers. Ms. Fegan-Wyles responded positively to Mr. Mejia’s idea.

Governor Yuzaki also met with Christine Beerli, vice-president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, based in Geneva, and the two agreed to explore ways to work together to address the abolition of nuclear weapons. Among other efforts, the Red Cross provides support for the victims of conflict areas.

(Originally published on November 2, 2012)

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