G8 Speakers' Meeting in Hiroshima:

Messages from Participants

One step towards world change

This year, 2008, Japan welcomes the G8 Summit of Lower House Speakers, a meeting hosted annually, in turn, by member nations. As the speaker of this year逞ｴ host nation, my hope was that the G8 speakers would gather in Hiroshima to discuss the theme of 蜩ｲuclear Disarmament.繝ｻ/p>

My reason for wanting to host the meeting in Hiroshima is that the start of the 21st century has seen a series of grim incidents occur, including the terrorist attacks of September 11th in the United States and the Iraq War, and I feel the international community has temporarily pushed important challenges like global warming and nuclear disarmament into the background. Although these issues were raised as the main themes of the G8 Summit held in Toyako, Hokkaido this past July, they naturally remain challenges which the international community must pursue resolutely.

For years I have considered it our crucial responsibility for the future of humanity to convey to the international community the tragedies of Hiroshima on August 6 and of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. I therefore hope that the speakers of the G8 nations taking part in this meeting will come to comprehend what happened in Hiroshima as deeply as possible as well as discuss specific issues involving peace and disarmament, including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

I believe your proposal to hold a Children逞ｴ Summit in Hiroshima has great merit. As human generations are continuously born, and the young succeed the old, I feel strongly that efforts of this kind are essential in order to keep the experience of Hiroshima alive in the world into the future. I hold high hopes, then, for such efforts by the next generation.

Please click here to read the interview with Speaker Kono by the junior writers.

This will be my first visit to Hiroshima.

I look forward to meeting with my colleagues from around the world to discuss the critical issues facing our nations and how we can work together to tackle them.

Hiroshima will always have a significant place in history. I hope to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum to learn more about how a city that was the site of such immense devastation has been rebuilt and thrived.

I have high expectations for the 2008 G-8 meeting. The meeting provides a unique opportunity for our nations'leaders to speak openly in a forum about major issues afflicting the global community. The backdrop of Hiroshima will provide a stark and constant reminder of the destruction and loss of life that nuclear weapons have caused. I expect that nuclear non-proliferation and the acquisition of loose nuclear material will be key topics at the G-8 meeting. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction poses a serious threat to the security of all our nations, and it will take a clear, comprehensive strategy to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

I expect that global warming and climate change will be a major focus of our meeting as well. I have made the issue of climate change and energy independence my flagship issue as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. We have taken steps to combat global warming at home but must more fully engage with the world community to solve an issue that poses a threat to our environment, health, and security.

Last year, I hosted a National Summit on America's Children on Capitol Hill and it was one of the best days in my 21 years in Congress. There, we discussed our most vital resource - our children - and theinvestments we must make to ensure our children are given the tools they need to succeed.

As a mother of five and grandmother of seven, I am always excited to see young people wanting to make a difference. Getting young people involved in global issues empowers them, makes them understand their role as the next generation of leaders, and helps to develop a sense of ownership in the state of international affairs.

In my travels as Speaker, I have met with presidents, prime ministers, and kings. But what impressed and inspired me the most were my encounters with young people. At a time when world leaders question the value of constructive dialogue with our adversaries, young people are engaged in their own international dialogue, through email and instant messaging and blogs. They are talking about their hopes for a brighter future and of their desire for peace and prosperity. Young people at home and abroad are unwilling to accept the world as it is now. It is their impatience of youth that will bring about real change. That is why I have such faith in the future.

It is my hope that the children of Japan realize how crucial this issue is to their future. Matters of peace and security are the first responsibility of any elected official. That is why we are coming together at this meeting to discuss nuclear disarmament and the critical need to secure loose nuclear material in order to greater secure our world.

Continue the dialogue. As I mentioned earlier, young people around the globe are engaged in their own conversations about how to improve our world and bring change. They must continue to listen to each other and learn from one another.

Without doubt, Hiroshima is a modern, progressive, and future-thinking city as well as a place of warm hospitality. Not just politicians, but ordinary people, too, even children, know the name of your city. Unfortunately, the main reason they know this is because of the atomic bombing in August 1945. The bombing has brought great pain and sorrow to the world. The memory of the tragedy, though, enables human beings to be guided by reason in never permitting the same kind of tragedy to be repeated anywhere else.

The G8 Speakers繝ｻSummit, held every year, provides an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and promote mutual understanding for the world as well as discuss the most important global issues from the perspective of lawmakers.

I think holding the meeting in Hiroshima has a deep and symbolic significance. It will show us that we are far more similar than we are different because of our common values: respect for one another, tolerance for other ways of living and thinking, and aspiration for goodness and peace. Through a collective effort to preserve these values, people from a range of countries, ethnic groups, and religions, can work together to overcome every threat and danger they face.

It sounds like a wonderful idea. I have no doubt that many countries, including Russia, would support such an idea. The outcome of a Children逞ｴ Summit could be significant, not only for its participants, but also for those who lead nations, are engaged in national policy-making, and have an influence on international politics. I think adults would be wise to reflect on how children see the world around them. This sort of effort might help narrow the gap of misunderstanding between people in the world and inhibit conflict and war.

I would like Japanese children to remember that they are the future of the world--this is the most important thing for them and for children around the world to keep in mind. National leaders and lawmakers are working on your behalf, discussing complicated international issues and seeking ways to solve these problems. We, the adults, will continue working as hard as we can so we豎e able to leave you with a world in which you can lead safe, happy, and fulfilled lives.

My first hope is that Japanese children will grow to have honest characters, study hard to master the field they choose, and have love for their own nation while respecting other countries. Moreover, I encourage the children of Japan to be proactive about creating more love and peace in the world by regularly taking part in such activities and events. Please believe that your good deeds can influence the people around you and, as a result, can have an important impact on the world. When the world sees you, like a great flock of doves, flying above Hiroshima, no one can possibly feel indifference to such a sight.

This will be my first visit to Hiroshima. I have, of course, heard much about the city so I am looking forward to seeing it for myself.

I have great hopes for a successful conference and the discussion of important topics. I look forward to meeting as many people as I can.

Mr Speaker Yohei Kono has selected a very interesting subject for discussion. I know that our deliberations will produce valuable conclusions.

Young people have everything to contribute to politics and all discussion is valuable. The proposal to hold a "Children's Summit" in Hiroshima offers an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas and develop true and lasting friendships.

I very much hope that our discussions will demonstrate how important this subject is in the world's eyes and how we must strive for peace.

If you can meet, talk to, listen to and understand as many people as possible, then the world will become a more peaceful place.

Yes, it will be my first visit to Hiroshima. The organisation of the 7th summit of speakers of G8 Parliaments on the topics of peace and disarmament is a strong sign of the determination of all of us that such a tragedy should never occur again. I thank the Speaker of the Japanese Diet for having taken this initiative.

I would of course like to see the monuments commemorating the memory of the victims of this terrible tragedy, of the nuclear explosion which has left a deep imprint on the consciousness of the inhabitants of Hiroshima, of Japan and of the whole world. I am thinking about the ruins of Genbaku Dome, one of the only buildings not to have been entirely destroyed by the explosion, or about the Peace Memorial Museum dedicated to the consequences of the bombing. As a doctor, I know I will be deeply moved by the reminder of the disaster and of the ensuing suffering and distress undergone by the population.

But, I would also like to visit the city which has managed to rebuild itself and redevelop. After the nuclear bombing, it was thought that Hiroshima would remain a dead city. Instead, thanks to the courage and dynamism of its inhabitants, it has become a lively and active conurbation, with thriving industry and an important shipping port. This rebirth of Hiroshima symbolizes the victory of life.

We must recall that progress must be made towards balanced disarmament and a strengthening of the mechanisms combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. At the same time, it should be emphasised that France is committed to respecting the right of each country to use nuclear technology exclusively for civilian purposes.

I agree with your proposal. The French National Assembly already organises a Children's Parliament every year, which brings together school children from all over France. These children debate and adopt a bill which is subsequently transmitted to MPs. To celebrate the year 2000, we even organized an International Youth Parliament in liaison with UNESCO. We would clearly be ready to share all our experience with you.

Japanese children need to know that peace can only be guaranteed by planetary disarmament, and that France deeply believes in this.

I would also like them to remember this simple idea: there can be no lasting peace on our planet without a shared culture of tolerance and mutual respect of our differences. A tremendous education effort must target our youth so that everyone understands that dialogue and cooperation must be made to prevail over violence and confrontation.

Hiroshima has become the symbol of renovation and progress, by rebuilding its prosperity. This is the fruit of a tremendous effort to respect the concept of memory in Hiroshima. I can all the more appreciate this effort as the chairman of the fact-finding mission at the French National Assembly on the need to maintain the memory of certain events.

I thus invite the children of Peace Seeds to continue the transmission of the message of peace which has been passed on to them by the survivors of the bombing. They are now the guardians of this message.

This will be my first visit to Hiroshima and I am looking forward to it very much.

I hope to visit Peace Memorial Park and learn more about the devastating events of August 6, 1945, but I also wish to see how the city of Hiroshima has recovered and once again become a busy, prosperous city with many beautiful attractions and a successful economy.

The G8 meetings offer a chance for our leaders to meet and discuss different subjects that concern our nations. By gathering in the various member countries, we learn more about one another, our histories, our problems and our achievements. In becoming more familiar with the story of Hiroshima, the atomic bombing that took place there, and the issue of nuclear weapons, the leaders of the G8 countries can work together better with their friends and allies to bring about a more peaceful world.

I think it is a wonderful idea. After all, you are inheriting the world from us, and it is important for you to meet with children from other countries in order to exchange your views about how peace can be achieved, by the current adult generations as well as by those of you who will one day take their place.

I would like the children of Japan to be encouraged by the dialogue that already exists between the G8 countries, and by the very real belief of the leaders of those countries that the discussions they are having will result in a safer, more peaceful world. The nations who belong to the G8 are partners and friends and they very much want to continue working together to ensure that peace and prosperity are not just a dream but a reality for as many people as possible.

I really only have one suggestion on what children can do for peace, and that is to talk to one another, and to talk to children in other countries. In the same way that national leaders and parliamentarians from all over the world meet to discuss important issues and exchange their thoughts on all kinds of subjects, children must meet to learn about each other and what is important to them. Quite often we fear or are suspicious of what we don't know or don't understand. If, however, we discuss ideas, learn about each other and become friends (even if we don't always agree on things), then we can ensure a peaceful world. Friends do not make war, they make peace.

The Speaker of the Japanese Chamber of Representatives, Mr Yohei Kono, has passed on your request for my thoughts on peace and disarmament, which are two of the key themes on the agenda of the meeting of the Speakers of the G8 Parliaments being held in Hiroshima next September.

I am delighted to be able to respond to your request, and welcome your solid commitment to building a new world based on peaceful coexistence among peoples.

The shocking memory of Hiroshima and the thousands of people who died there is a constant painful presence in our hearts and minds. Hiroshima is a tragic testament to the unspeakable suffering caused by the Second World War, and stands as a dreadful warning of the terrifying power of nuclear weapons. Our next step now must be to make sure that this memory translates into a commitment to ensuring that war and violence may never prevail over dialogue and diplomacy.

Without doubt, parliamentary cooperation can play an important role in this respect by helping different peoples get to know each other and work together in a spirit of mutual respect for their diverse identities. The next meeting of Speakers of the G8 Parliaments, which, significantly, is taking place in Hiroshima, will afford us an extraordinary opportunity to reflect both on the enormous threat that nuclear arms pose for the peace and future of our countries, and on the necessity of maintaining our strong support for the principles and mechanisms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which has made a decisive contribution to world peace.

I strongly welcome your idea of promoting a Youth Summit in Hiroshima, an event at which young people from all over the world may reflect upon and exchange ideas on the subject of peace.

I also hope that the meeting of G8 Speakers can make a significant contribution to the construction of a future free of the spectre of war.

Finally, I encourage you to remain focused on the idea of peace and to multiply your efforts to create conditions favorable to harmonious coexistence among peoples.

I send my warmest regards, and I wish all you young people every success in your endeavours.

I have been to Japan before but, unfortunately, have not yet had the opportunity to visit Hiroshima. This will be my first visit and I very much look forward to it.

If time permits, I look forward to meeting the local people and experiencing Japanese culture. I would also like to increase people's awareness of the issues being dealt with at this summit.

In particular, I will reiterate the agreement which exists between Germany and Japan on working together to sustain international peace. The G8 as a whole has a great potential for ending nuclear proliferation and a lot has been achieved in the past. Not only governments but also parliaments are more and more engaged in this process. All G8 countries need to further strengthen their cooperation in countering nuclear proliferation and helping to maintain peace. I welcome the opportunity for the respective national parliaments to participate in this process and develop ideas crucial to its success. In this regard, I look forward to meeting my G8 colleagues in person with a view to further building up trust on all sides and exploring common ground.

I think this is an interesting idea, which should be looked at closely. As President of the German Bundestag, I am also the Chairman of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program. I am convinced that opportunities for adolescents from across the world to get to know each other promote international understanding and thus help bring about peace.

Having grown up with six siblings and now being a father of four, I feel personally committed to the causes of young people. It is of utmost importance to create a safe environment for future generations and, as such, I believe it is a great achievement if young people are eager to gain insight into peace and nuclear disarmament issues, including by following the press coverage on this G8 summit.

I applaud any initiative that makes children aware of conflict resolution techniques that help promote peace. In this regard, I would like to especially thank "Peace Seeds" for its invaluable work.

This will be my first visit to Hiroshima and I am very much looking forward to visiting your city. Earlier this year I made an official visit to Japan at the invitation of Speaker Yohei Kono and I had the chance to visit Tokyo and Kyoto. That visit was a marvelous opportunity to underline the great bonds that exist between Europe and Japan. We share common values such as democracy, rule of law, freedom of expression and respect for human rights.

Hiroshima has an enormous symbolism all over the world for everybody who is interested in building a peaceful world. The Second World War brought devastation both to Europe and Japan. The crimes committed against humanity during that dark period of history must never be repeated. Holding an important meeting such as the G8 Summit in Hiroshima is a powerful way of underlining our shared commitment to building a world where peoples can live in peace and harmony with each other. In Europe, the European Union has been a wonderful project which has helped to reconcile, rebuild and reunite the whole continent of Europe after the war. Here in Asia, Japan has a crucial role to play in demonstrating that building free democratic societies is something which goes beyond culture. Japan is an excellent example to the whole region.

In parallel to the G8 Summit of Heads of State and Government, the speakers of the parliaments of the G8 countries, plus the President of the European Parliament, will meet to bring a parliamentary component to the discussions. Members of Parliament are directly elected by the citizens and remain close to people's concerns. So when important discussions are taking place between governments, it is important that Parliaments be involved. This is why Speaker Yohei Kono will host a parliamentary speakers' meeting of the G8. One of the topics for discussion is "Peace and Disarmament." This is a very important issue for our times and I commend Speaker Kono for highlighting the subject. As the representatives of the people, we have a strong duty to seek to ensure peace in the world. There are a number of countries in the world, including Iran and North Korea, which are a danger to this peace. Where countries are founded on freedom and democracy such threats do not exist. Japan and Europe must work together to promote our shared values and contribute to regional and world peace.

The idea of a "Children's Summit" in Hiroshima to talk about peace is a beautiful one and I fully support it. Bringing people together from different cultures and traditions allows them to get to know and understand each other. On this basis peaceful relations can be built. Within the European Union, 2008 is the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue and we are all seeking to promote better understanding between the peoples of Europe and our neighbours. I have arranged to bring young people from the Mediterranean region, including Israeli and Palestinian youth, to the European Parliament so that they can have such an exchange of ideas about peace and cooperation. We would definitely support your initiative and I'm sure European children would be delighted to participate.

Political leaders have a great responsibility to build a better world for future generations. It is great that Japanese children are taking such an interest in important world affairs such as the G8 Summit in Hiroshima. I hope that our discussions will lead to agreement about our common values so that we can give hope to the children of Japan and the world for a bright future. This world does not belong to us. We must seek to improve it for future generations by making it a safer, fairer and cleaner place to live in.

-What suggestions might you have for children in Hiroshima and Japan in regard to "doing something for peace"?

The secret of better relations is communication. By meeting people, talking with them and getting to know their background, you get a deeper understanding of them. I hope that the young people of Hiroshima and Japan take every opportunity to get to know people of different cultures. Perhaps this will be through travel, studying abroad or even through chatting on the internet. By learning foreign languages and being open to all opportunities for communicating with young people around the world, you will take the first steps to "doing something for peace."

Junior writers presenting their proposal for the Speakers' Meeting (Photo by Ryota Matsuda, 14)