Hidankyo awarded Nobel Peace Prize: Crowdfunding campaign initiated to collect travel expenses for sending A-bomb survivors, supporters to award ceremony
Nov. 16, 2024
by Fumiyasu Miyano, Staff Writer
On November 15, the Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), which was announced as being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, held a press conference in Tokyo, where the organization reported it had initiated a crowdfunding campaign to cover travel expenses for attending the award ceremony in Oslo, Norway. Jiro Hamasumi, 78, deputy secretary-general of the organization, called for support of the campaign. “The risk of nuclear weapons use has risen with the wars that have broken out. We want to send out the message that no one else should ever become hibakusha [A-bomb victims] again,” said Mr. Hamasumi.
The crowdfunding campaign’s aim is to collect 10 million yen. The Hidankyo organization plans to send to Norway 31 people, including A-bomb survivors and supporters, in conjunction with the holding of the award ceremony. Per person, expenses for airfare and accommodations are estimated to reach around 500,000 yen. The raised funds will help pay for the travel expenses of the ceremony participants, except for those who express their intent to pay their own way. The Norwegian Nobel Committee will pay only the travel expenses for the three representatives of the organization scheduled to take the stage at the award ceremony on December 10.
Hidankyo is to receive 11 million Swedish kronor (around 150 million yen) from the committee as a prize. The organization is considering spending the prize money for its activities and A-bomb survivor campaigns, making the determination that the prize money will not be used on travel expenses for the upcoming trip.
Donations for the campaign will be accepted on the fund-raising platform Syncable through December 15. Hidankyo will publish the names of major donors in the organization’s newsletter and offer them a one-year subscription.
(Originally published on November 16, 2024)
On November 15, the Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), which was announced as being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, held a press conference in Tokyo, where the organization reported it had initiated a crowdfunding campaign to cover travel expenses for attending the award ceremony in Oslo, Norway. Jiro Hamasumi, 78, deputy secretary-general of the organization, called for support of the campaign. “The risk of nuclear weapons use has risen with the wars that have broken out. We want to send out the message that no one else should ever become hibakusha [A-bomb victims] again,” said Mr. Hamasumi.
The crowdfunding campaign’s aim is to collect 10 million yen. The Hidankyo organization plans to send to Norway 31 people, including A-bomb survivors and supporters, in conjunction with the holding of the award ceremony. Per person, expenses for airfare and accommodations are estimated to reach around 500,000 yen. The raised funds will help pay for the travel expenses of the ceremony participants, except for those who express their intent to pay their own way. The Norwegian Nobel Committee will pay only the travel expenses for the three representatives of the organization scheduled to take the stage at the award ceremony on December 10.
Hidankyo is to receive 11 million Swedish kronor (around 150 million yen) from the committee as a prize. The organization is considering spending the prize money for its activities and A-bomb survivor campaigns, making the determination that the prize money will not be used on travel expenses for the upcoming trip.
Donations for the campaign will be accepted on the fund-raising platform Syncable through December 15. Hidankyo will publish the names of major donors in the organization’s newsletter and offer them a one-year subscription.
(Originally published on November 16, 2024)
