Citizens’ summit reflects on its achievements and problems: “Connections were deepened” and “disappointment about nuclear deterrence”
Jul. 8, 2023
by Yumie Kubo, Staff Writer
On July 7, an executive committee that organized the “Citizens’ Summit for Everyone," in which members of non-profit organizations (NPOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in and out of Hiroshima Prefecture discussed international problems in connection with the summit meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized nations (the G7 summit) in Hiroshima City, held a meeting to reflect on the achievements and problems of the citizens’ summit in Hiroshima City’s Naka Ward.
About 30 people, including those attending online, took part in the meeting. The participants mentioned the achievements of the citizens’ summit, saying that “connections among citizens’ groups in Japan and overseas were deepened” and “our interests have grown in a wider range of social problems” through discussions at the citizens’ summit. On the other hand, touching on the fact that the “Hiroshima Vision,” a document on nuclear disarmament released at the G7 summit, was premised on nuclear deterrence despite their message calling for nuclear abolition, a participant said, “It’s disappointing. Let’s continue to make policy proposals.”
Tomoko Watanabe, one of the co-chairs of the executive committee and chair of ANT-Hiroshima, an NPO based in the city’s Naka Ward, addressed the participants, “We would like to continue our activities to hold hands with citizens in Japan and overseas and raise our voices together from Hiroshima in the future, too.”
The citizens’ summit was held on April 16 and 17 at the International Conference Center Hiroshima in the city’s Naka Ward and other venues. About 700 people in total discussed environment issues and youth participation in politics, among other themes. The executive committee will condense the contents of the discussions into a document by the end of fiscal 2023 and deliver it to Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
(Originally published on July 8, 2023)
On July 7, an executive committee that organized the “Citizens’ Summit for Everyone," in which members of non-profit organizations (NPOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in and out of Hiroshima Prefecture discussed international problems in connection with the summit meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized nations (the G7 summit) in Hiroshima City, held a meeting to reflect on the achievements and problems of the citizens’ summit in Hiroshima City’s Naka Ward.
About 30 people, including those attending online, took part in the meeting. The participants mentioned the achievements of the citizens’ summit, saying that “connections among citizens’ groups in Japan and overseas were deepened” and “our interests have grown in a wider range of social problems” through discussions at the citizens’ summit. On the other hand, touching on the fact that the “Hiroshima Vision,” a document on nuclear disarmament released at the G7 summit, was premised on nuclear deterrence despite their message calling for nuclear abolition, a participant said, “It’s disappointing. Let’s continue to make policy proposals.”
Tomoko Watanabe, one of the co-chairs of the executive committee and chair of ANT-Hiroshima, an NPO based in the city’s Naka Ward, addressed the participants, “We would like to continue our activities to hold hands with citizens in Japan and overseas and raise our voices together from Hiroshima in the future, too.”
The citizens’ summit was held on April 16 and 17 at the International Conference Center Hiroshima in the city’s Naka Ward and other venues. About 700 people in total discussed environment issues and youth participation in politics, among other themes. The executive committee will condense the contents of the discussions into a document by the end of fiscal 2023 and deliver it to Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
(Originally published on July 8, 2023)
