Learning about threat of nuclear weapons: Report on American Red Cross program delivered at Hiroshima Red Cross
Apr. 25, 2025
by Satoshi Hirata, Staff Writer
The Japanese and American chapters of the Red Cross held a meeting at the Hiroshima prefectural branch of the Japanese Red Cross Society on April 23. At the meeting titled “Seeking a World Without Nuclear Weapons,” Thomas Harper, Senior Counsel in International Humanitarian Law of the American Red Cross, reported on a program held in the United States for the country’s young people to learn about the history and threats of nuclear weapons.
During the meeting attended by about 60 people, including online participants, Mr. Harper spoke about a one-year program conducted by the American Red Cross starting in 2023. Participants of this program learned about international humanitarian law with the theme of “Nuclear Weapons and Armed Conflicts.” Showing photographs, he explained how young people aged 13 to 24 met with U.S. government officials in charge of nuclear disarmament or listened to accounts of atomic bomb survivors.
Mr. Harper emphasized that, as the first step toward preventing humanity from using nuclear weapons, each and every one of us should acquire knowledge. He added that participants in the program have shared what they learned with more than 45,000 people, including their families, friends, and community members.
(Originally published on April 25, 2025)
The Japanese and American chapters of the Red Cross held a meeting at the Hiroshima prefectural branch of the Japanese Red Cross Society on April 23. At the meeting titled “Seeking a World Without Nuclear Weapons,” Thomas Harper, Senior Counsel in International Humanitarian Law of the American Red Cross, reported on a program held in the United States for the country’s young people to learn about the history and threats of nuclear weapons.
During the meeting attended by about 60 people, including online participants, Mr. Harper spoke about a one-year program conducted by the American Red Cross starting in 2023. Participants of this program learned about international humanitarian law with the theme of “Nuclear Weapons and Armed Conflicts.” Showing photographs, he explained how young people aged 13 to 24 met with U.S. government officials in charge of nuclear disarmament or listened to accounts of atomic bomb survivors.
Mr. Harper emphasized that, as the first step toward preventing humanity from using nuclear weapons, each and every one of us should acquire knowledge. He added that participants in the program have shared what they learned with more than 45,000 people, including their families, friends, and community members.
(Originally published on April 25, 2025)
