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Mayors for Peace conference opens tomorrow in Hiroshima

by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer

The General Conference of Mayors for Peace, which seeks to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons, will take place from August 3 to 6 at the International Conference Center Hiroshima. About 320 people from 190 cities in 23 nations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will take part in the gathering. The participants will discuss a path forward for concluding a nuclear weapons convention and craft concrete plans for the organization’s 2020 Vision Campaign, which aims to eliminate nuclear weapons from the earth by the year 2020.

The theme of the general conference, held in Hiroshima for the first time in eight years, is “Toward a World without Nuclear Weapons - Conveying the ‘Spirit of Hiroshima and Nagasaki’ to the World.”

The opening ceremony will be held on August 3. Discussion will then take place on August 4 and 5. Through this discussion, the participants will craft an action plan for the next four years--until the next general conference is held--with the following three pillars: 1) increase the number of member cities and strengthen the group’s administration; 2) heighten international public opinion for the abolition of nuclear arms; and 3) promote the early conclusion of a nuclear weapons convention. They will also adopt the “Hiroshima Appeal,” a joint declaration expressing their resolve to realize the abolition of nuclear weapons.

In July, the Chugoku Shimbun carried out a survey of the 19 executive cities of Mayors for Peace, with 10 cities responding. Asked about “positive signs of support for nuclear abolition by 2020,” seven cities answered, “Yes, a lot,” or “Yes, some.”

The city of Nagasaki, based on strong public response to the 2020 Vision Campaign, said, “Yes, a lot,” while “Yes, some” was the response of six other cities. The city of Hiroshima indicated that a movement to make nuclear weapons illegal, by focusing on their inhumane nature, has been gaining momentum. Montreal, Canada said that dedicated NGOs are found there, and Granollers, Spain remarked that both the city and its citizens are committed to this cause.

Manchester, England responded, “No, not much,” explaining that though it may be possible to reduce the number of nuclear weapons significantly by 2020, nuclear abolition remains a long way off.

As of August 1, Mayors for Peace numbers 5,712 member cities in 157 countries and regions. The conference schedule will conclude after the participants attend the Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6.

(Originally published on August 2, 2013)

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