U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls for nuclear abolition
Aug. 6, 2010
by Kyoko Shinmoto, Staff Writer
"That is the Flame of Peace--a flame that will remain lit until nuclear weapons are no more. Together, let us work for that day--in our lifetime, in the lifetimes of the survivors."
Ban Ki-moon's attendance at today's Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima marked the first time that a U.N. secretary-general has appeared at the event. In his address, he encouraged the world to "keep up the momentum" for nuclear abolition.
Mr. Ban delivered a nearly five-minute speech in English with a smattering of Japanese. Looking out over those in attendance, he said, "We gather to pay our solemn respects to those who perished, sixty-five years ago, and to the many more whose lives forever changed."
He went on to say: "A more peaceful world can be ours" and "Together, we are on a journey from ground zero to Global Zero--a world free of weapons of mass destruction."
Yutaka Kawabe, 83, an A-bomb survivor who listened to Mr. Ban's speech, commented, "My sister died one month after the bombing. I would like the leaders of the world, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, to keep in mind the pledge he made today so that a tragedy of this sort is never repeated."
After the ceremony, Mr. Ban toured Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and listened to the A-bomb account of Akihiro Takahashi, 79, a former director of the museum.
(Originally published on August 6, 2010)
"That is the Flame of Peace--a flame that will remain lit until nuclear weapons are no more. Together, let us work for that day--in our lifetime, in the lifetimes of the survivors."
Ban Ki-moon's attendance at today's Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima marked the first time that a U.N. secretary-general has appeared at the event. In his address, he encouraged the world to "keep up the momentum" for nuclear abolition.
Mr. Ban delivered a nearly five-minute speech in English with a smattering of Japanese. Looking out over those in attendance, he said, "We gather to pay our solemn respects to those who perished, sixty-five years ago, and to the many more whose lives forever changed."
He went on to say: "A more peaceful world can be ours" and "Together, we are on a journey from ground zero to Global Zero--a world free of weapons of mass destruction."
Yutaka Kawabe, 83, an A-bomb survivor who listened to Mr. Ban's speech, commented, "My sister died one month after the bombing. I would like the leaders of the world, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, to keep in mind the pledge he made today so that a tragedy of this sort is never repeated."
After the ceremony, Mr. Ban toured Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and listened to the A-bomb account of Akihiro Takahashi, 79, a former director of the museum.
(Originally published on August 6, 2010)
