IPPNW World Congress to open in Hiroshima tomorrow: Seeking path to a world without nuclear weapons
Aug. 28, 2012
Doctors from 41 nations to participate
by Kentaro Yamamoto, Staff Writer
The 20th World Congress of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) will open at the International Conference Center Hiroshima on August 24. It is the second time the event will be held here. Hiroshima also hosted the congress in 1989. Doctors from Japan and around the world who are at the forefront of the anti-nuclear movement will gather in Hiroshima for the three-day event to seek a path to a world without nuclear weapons.
The theme of this year’s congress is “From Hiroshima to Future Generations.” About 480 people from Japan and 40 other countries are expected to attend. Participants will discuss the international situation with regard to nuclear disarmament and specific measures that can be taken, including efforts to bring about the conclusion of a treaty banning nuclear weapons as soon as possible.
A doctor who experienced the atomic bombing of Hiroshima will give an account of her experiences, and a symposium will be held at which doctors who are children of atomic bomb survivors will gather. These events are part of the effort to pass on the experiences of atomic bomb survivors. In light of last year’s accident at the Fukushima No. 1 (Daiichi) nuclear power plant, the topics of the peaceful use of the atom and the treatment of people exposed to radiation will also be addressed.
In the run-up to the World Congress, the IPPNW conducted a two-day Student Congress for medical students, which opened on August 22 in Hiroshima. The students heard the account of a former resident of Iitate in Fukushima Prefecture who moved to Hiroshima after the accident at the nuclear power plant.
Founded in 1980, the IPPNW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985. The organization has approximately 100,000 members in 62 countries.
(Originally published on August 23, 2012)
