City of Hiroshima releases outline of Peace Memorial Ceremony taking place on August 6
Jul. 11, 2019
by Kanako Noda, Staff Writer
On July 10, the City of Hiroshima announced the outline of the Peace Memorial Ceremony, which will take place at the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward on August 6, the anniversary of the atomic bombing. Presently, representatives from 95 nations and regions, the second-largest number in history, are scheduled to take part in the ceremony, including those from five nuclear weapon states. Concerning the Peace Declaration to be read out by Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui at the ceremony, its content will draw attention because groups of A-bomb survivors have called on the mayor to include an explicit appeal urging the Japanese government to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
The city sent invitations to the ceremony to 157 nations. Of the nine nuclear-armed nations, the ambassadors from the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Pakistan, and Israel have replied, indicating that they would attend the ceremony, while China and India have said that they will be absent. The United States and North Korea have not responded yet. On behalf of Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Izumi Nakamitsu, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, will attend the ceremony. Also in attendance will be 36 prefectural representatives from the bereaved families of A-bomb victims, including a representative who is 93 years old, the oldest in history. The average age of the prefectural representatives has now reached 71.8.
The ceremony will commence at 8 a.m. and and last 50 minutes. Despite the seismic strengthening work taking place at the Peace Memorial Museum, 7,700 seats will be available for the ceremony, the same number as last year. A live broadcast of the ceremony can also be watched in the Himawari conference room, with a capacity of 600 seats, and in Phoenix Hall, with a capacity of 1,500 seats. Both are located in the International Conference Center Hiroshima.
Akiko Mende, 49, a resident of Nishi Ward, was chosen as a representative of the A-bomb victims’ families, and Aito Masakado, 12, a sixth grader at Kabeminami Elementary School in Asakita Ward, was chosen as a representative of children. The two will toll the Peace Bell at the ceremony. Ms. Mende and Mr. Masakado spoke at a press conference held at City Hall with Shuka Kaneda, 11, a sixth grader at Ochiai Elementary School in Asakita Ward, and Tadahiro Ishibashi, a sixth grader at Yano Elementary School in Aki Ward. Ms. Kaneda and Mr. Ishibashi will read out the Commitment to Peace. Mr. Masakado said, “I think my role is very important. I want to take it on with a sense of responsibility.”
(Originally published on July 11, 2019)
On July 10, the City of Hiroshima announced the outline of the Peace Memorial Ceremony, which will take place at the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward on August 6, the anniversary of the atomic bombing. Presently, representatives from 95 nations and regions, the second-largest number in history, are scheduled to take part in the ceremony, including those from five nuclear weapon states. Concerning the Peace Declaration to be read out by Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui at the ceremony, its content will draw attention because groups of A-bomb survivors have called on the mayor to include an explicit appeal urging the Japanese government to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
The city sent invitations to the ceremony to 157 nations. Of the nine nuclear-armed nations, the ambassadors from the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Pakistan, and Israel have replied, indicating that they would attend the ceremony, while China and India have said that they will be absent. The United States and North Korea have not responded yet. On behalf of Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Izumi Nakamitsu, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, will attend the ceremony. Also in attendance will be 36 prefectural representatives from the bereaved families of A-bomb victims, including a representative who is 93 years old, the oldest in history. The average age of the prefectural representatives has now reached 71.8.
The ceremony will commence at 8 a.m. and and last 50 minutes. Despite the seismic strengthening work taking place at the Peace Memorial Museum, 7,700 seats will be available for the ceremony, the same number as last year. A live broadcast of the ceremony can also be watched in the Himawari conference room, with a capacity of 600 seats, and in Phoenix Hall, with a capacity of 1,500 seats. Both are located in the International Conference Center Hiroshima.
Akiko Mende, 49, a resident of Nishi Ward, was chosen as a representative of the A-bomb victims’ families, and Aito Masakado, 12, a sixth grader at Kabeminami Elementary School in Asakita Ward, was chosen as a representative of children. The two will toll the Peace Bell at the ceremony. Ms. Mende and Mr. Masakado spoke at a press conference held at City Hall with Shuka Kaneda, 11, a sixth grader at Ochiai Elementary School in Asakita Ward, and Tadahiro Ishibashi, a sixth grader at Yano Elementary School in Aki Ward. Ms. Kaneda and Mr. Ishibashi will read out the Commitment to Peace. Mr. Masakado said, “I think my role is very important. I want to take it on with a sense of responsibility.”
(Originally published on July 11, 2019)
