Peace concert, other activities, mark first anniversary of Obama’s visit to Hiroshima
May 28, 2017
by Kanako Noda and Kyosuke Mizukawa, Staff Writers
May 27 was the first anniversary of the visit to Hiroshima by Barack Obama, who was then president of the United States. On this day, an NPO staged a peace concert in front of the A-bomb Dome, and there were crowds of tourists at the nearby Peace Memorial Museum, which has seen a surge in visitors, partly due to the “Obama effect.” With international conditions evolving, A-bomb survivors and citizens have begun seeking new ways to advance the aims of abolishing nuclear weapons and building peace in the world.
Before an audience of some 800 people, Mami Hagiwara, 30, played pieces that included “Ave Maria” on the piano. Ms. Hagiwara is a well-known pianist and a third-generation A-bomb survivor from Asaminami Ward, Hiroshima. Students from Hiroshima International School took part, too, singing in chorus. After the concert, Ms. Hagiwara said, “I hope the world will be a place where everyone can enjoy music. If my performing can serve in some small way to make people happy, I’ll be glad to go anywhere.”
Barack Obama’s visit to Hiroshima drew significant attention to the city, and the number of visitors to the Peace Memorial Museum reached a record high of 1.74 million people in fiscal 2016. Visitors from in and out of Japan stop to look at the paper cranes that he donated to the city at the time of his visit.
Brian O’Neil, 63, from Toronto, Canada, said that Mr. Obama’s visit to Hiroshima stirred his interest in the city. People can learn about the folly of possessing nuclear weapons by visiting Hiroshima, he said. Mr. O’Neil believes it is vital to establish a treaty to outlaw nuclear arms, for which the first round of negotiations at the United Nations was held in March. He expressed concern about how the next round of talks will unfold when these negotiations begin in June.
At the museum, Takashi Teramoto, 82, shared his experience of the atomic bombing to students and citizens. The A-bomb survivor told his audience that when Mr. Obama delivered a speech from Hiroshima, he said the victims of the bombing included many civilians as well as people from the Korean Peninsula and American prisoners of war.
The past year has seen a change in the U.S. administration and there is also growing concern over North Korea’s efforts to develop their missiles and nuclear weapons. Mr. Teramoto quoted from Mr. Obama’s speech, believing this would help people consider more deeply why paying a visit to Hiroshima is so important.
On the same day, Shino Nakai, 15, a first-year student at Hiroshima Jogakuin Senior High School, took part in a signature drive for nuclear abolition near the A-bomb Dome. It was the first time that Ms. Nakai was involved in this campaign and she feels that young people in the A-bombed city have a duty to take action. “Nuclear weapons can be eliminated if we come together in our wish for a nuclear-free world,” she said.
(Originally published on May 28, 2017)
May 27 was the first anniversary of the visit to Hiroshima by Barack Obama, who was then president of the United States. On this day, an NPO staged a peace concert in front of the A-bomb Dome, and there were crowds of tourists at the nearby Peace Memorial Museum, which has seen a surge in visitors, partly due to the “Obama effect.” With international conditions evolving, A-bomb survivors and citizens have begun seeking new ways to advance the aims of abolishing nuclear weapons and building peace in the world.
Before an audience of some 800 people, Mami Hagiwara, 30, played pieces that included “Ave Maria” on the piano. Ms. Hagiwara is a well-known pianist and a third-generation A-bomb survivor from Asaminami Ward, Hiroshima. Students from Hiroshima International School took part, too, singing in chorus. After the concert, Ms. Hagiwara said, “I hope the world will be a place where everyone can enjoy music. If my performing can serve in some small way to make people happy, I’ll be glad to go anywhere.”
Barack Obama’s visit to Hiroshima drew significant attention to the city, and the number of visitors to the Peace Memorial Museum reached a record high of 1.74 million people in fiscal 2016. Visitors from in and out of Japan stop to look at the paper cranes that he donated to the city at the time of his visit.
Brian O’Neil, 63, from Toronto, Canada, said that Mr. Obama’s visit to Hiroshima stirred his interest in the city. People can learn about the folly of possessing nuclear weapons by visiting Hiroshima, he said. Mr. O’Neil believes it is vital to establish a treaty to outlaw nuclear arms, for which the first round of negotiations at the United Nations was held in March. He expressed concern about how the next round of talks will unfold when these negotiations begin in June.
At the museum, Takashi Teramoto, 82, shared his experience of the atomic bombing to students and citizens. The A-bomb survivor told his audience that when Mr. Obama delivered a speech from Hiroshima, he said the victims of the bombing included many civilians as well as people from the Korean Peninsula and American prisoners of war.
The past year has seen a change in the U.S. administration and there is also growing concern over North Korea’s efforts to develop their missiles and nuclear weapons. Mr. Teramoto quoted from Mr. Obama’s speech, believing this would help people consider more deeply why paying a visit to Hiroshima is so important.
On the same day, Shino Nakai, 15, a first-year student at Hiroshima Jogakuin Senior High School, took part in a signature drive for nuclear abolition near the A-bomb Dome. It was the first time that Ms. Nakai was involved in this campaign and she feels that young people in the A-bombed city have a duty to take action. “Nuclear weapons can be eliminated if we come together in our wish for a nuclear-free world,” she said.
(Originally published on May 28, 2017)
