Hiroshima mayor says Peace Declaration would reflect Obama’s address during Hiroshima visit
Apr. 25, 2016
by Masanori Wada, Staff Writer
On April 24, the City of Hiroshima held the first meeting of the consulting committee which discusses the draft of the Peace Declaration that will be read out by Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui at the Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6. The group met at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Naka Ward. Mr. Matsui proposed that if U.S. President Barack Obama visits the city of Hiroshima in connection with his attendance at the Group of Seven (G7) summit (Ise Shima summit) in May, he will link his declaration to the address made by Mr. Obama in the A-bombed city.
After the meeting, Mr. Matsui shared this idea with the media. After explaining that he had not received a concrete schedule for a visit by the U.S. president, he turned to the Peace Declaration, which would be drafted afterward, and said, “After considering his address closely, I would like to stress the determination declared by the president here in Hiroshima.”
All ten members of the committee, including Sunao Tsuboi, the chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hidankyo), and Yasuyoshi Komizo, the chairperson of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, attended the meeting. Aside from the start of the meeting, the discussion took place behind closed doors. Mr. Matsui told the committee members, “In last year’s Peace Declaration, I mentioned the ideas of ‘love for humanity’ and ‘generosity.’ I would like to move those ideas forward.” The mayor also revealed his suggestions for new keywords this year, “passion” and “solidarity,” to express the principle of action to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons.
According to the mayor, the committee members made such comments as the importance of now appealing for a legal ban on nuclear arms. Like last year, A-bomb accounts from the public will not be solicited for this year’s Peace Declaration.
Three meetings of the committee will be held. Based on feedback from the group, the mayor will present an outline of the declaration at the next meeting, to be held in early June. He will then propose a draft of the declaration at the last meeting in early July, then will compose the final draft himself by early August.
(Originally published on April 25, 2016)
On April 24, the City of Hiroshima held the first meeting of the consulting committee which discusses the draft of the Peace Declaration that will be read out by Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui at the Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6. The group met at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Naka Ward. Mr. Matsui proposed that if U.S. President Barack Obama visits the city of Hiroshima in connection with his attendance at the Group of Seven (G7) summit (Ise Shima summit) in May, he will link his declaration to the address made by Mr. Obama in the A-bombed city.
After the meeting, Mr. Matsui shared this idea with the media. After explaining that he had not received a concrete schedule for a visit by the U.S. president, he turned to the Peace Declaration, which would be drafted afterward, and said, “After considering his address closely, I would like to stress the determination declared by the president here in Hiroshima.”
All ten members of the committee, including Sunao Tsuboi, the chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hidankyo), and Yasuyoshi Komizo, the chairperson of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, attended the meeting. Aside from the start of the meeting, the discussion took place behind closed doors. Mr. Matsui told the committee members, “In last year’s Peace Declaration, I mentioned the ideas of ‘love for humanity’ and ‘generosity.’ I would like to move those ideas forward.” The mayor also revealed his suggestions for new keywords this year, “passion” and “solidarity,” to express the principle of action to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons.
According to the mayor, the committee members made such comments as the importance of now appealing for a legal ban on nuclear arms. Like last year, A-bomb accounts from the public will not be solicited for this year’s Peace Declaration.
Three meetings of the committee will be held. Based on feedback from the group, the mayor will present an outline of the declaration at the next meeting, to be held in early June. He will then propose a draft of the declaration at the last meeting in early July, then will compose the final draft himself by early August.
(Originally published on April 25, 2016)
