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"Special Communicator for a World without Nuclear Weapons" shares A-bomb account

by Kanako Noda, Staff Writer

Akihiro Takahashi, 79, former director of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, shared his A-bomb account with young diplomats from 25 nations at the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims on September 25. Mr. Takahashi was recently commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Japan to serve as a "Special Communicator for a World without Nuclear Weapons."

The 27 diplomats visited Hiroshima for the UN Disarmament Fellowship Program, which seeks to nurture disarmament experts. Mr. Takahashi related his experience of the atomic bombing at the age of 14 while out on the school yard with classmates, 1.4 kilometers from the hypocenter.

"I hated the U.S., but hatred cannot remove the pain. As a survivor of the atomic bombing, it is my duty to continue conveying my A-bomb experience," Mr. Takahashi said, appealing for nuclear abolition efforts.

Valere Mantels, a political affairs officer at the U.N. Office for Disarmament Affairs and the head of the party of diplomats, extended words of gratitude to Mr. Takahashi. Mr. Mantels said that it is important for them to learn about the atomic bombing so that such a tragedy will not be repeated and he pledged to bring Mr. Takahashi's appeal back home and convey it to others.

The idea of "Special Communicator for a World without Nuclear Weapons" in order to convey the horrific consequences of nuclear arms was introduced by Prime Minister Naoto Kan during the Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima on August 6. On September 21, MOFA commissioned two A-bomb survivors to begin serving under this designation.

(Originally published on September 26, 2010)

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