Recruitment of “Youth Communicators for a World without Nuclear Weapons” to start abroad
Apr. 12, 2016
by Kyosuke Mizukawa, Staff Writer
On March 27, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida announced a plan to include young people from overseas in the “Youth Communicators for a World without Nuclear Weapons” project. This project, organized by Japan’s foreign ministry, seeks to support the activities undertaken by young people who are eager to convey the horror of nuclear weapons to those abroad. By expanding its recruitment to young people in countries beyond Japan, the government hopes to increase global momentum for the realization of “a nuclear-free world.” The recruitment of new youth communicators overseas will begin shortly through Japanese diplomatic offices abroad.
Mr. Kishida announced the plan at the Youth Communicators for a World without Nuclear Weapons forum held by the foreign ministry in the East Building of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Naka Ward prior to the meeting of foreign ministers set for April 10 and 11 in Hiroshima. In his statement, Mr. Kishida said, “The foreign ministry will designate young people overseas who share the aspiration for a nuclear-free world as youth communicators, and would like people all over the world to understand that there are no national borders in achieving that aim.”
The Youth Communicators for a World without Nuclear Weapons project, initiated by Mr. Kishida, was established in 2013. At the request of citizens’ groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which will delegate activities involving peace and nuclear disarmament to young people abroad, the foreign ministry will select young people to adopt the title and role of youth communicator. So far, a total of 107 young people living in Japan between the ages of 15 to 29 have been selected to serve as youth communicators.
The foreign ministry is now planning to hold annual gatherings in Japan of those who have served as youth communicators, including those from abroad. It will also establish a global network of youth communicators.
Mr. Kishida also announced a plan to invite more than 1,000 people from abroad to the A-bombed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from April 2016 to March 2017. Through the foreign ministry’s existing projects that involve bringing young people and researchers from overseas to Japan, Mr. Kishida will further encourage the world to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the 2014 fiscal year, about 500 people visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki through these projects. The number of visitors in the 2015 fiscal year, which commemorated the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing, is estimated to have exceeded 1,000.
(Originally published on March 28, 2016)
On March 27, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida announced a plan to include young people from overseas in the “Youth Communicators for a World without Nuclear Weapons” project. This project, organized by Japan’s foreign ministry, seeks to support the activities undertaken by young people who are eager to convey the horror of nuclear weapons to those abroad. By expanding its recruitment to young people in countries beyond Japan, the government hopes to increase global momentum for the realization of “a nuclear-free world.” The recruitment of new youth communicators overseas will begin shortly through Japanese diplomatic offices abroad.
Mr. Kishida announced the plan at the Youth Communicators for a World without Nuclear Weapons forum held by the foreign ministry in the East Building of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Naka Ward prior to the meeting of foreign ministers set for April 10 and 11 in Hiroshima. In his statement, Mr. Kishida said, “The foreign ministry will designate young people overseas who share the aspiration for a nuclear-free world as youth communicators, and would like people all over the world to understand that there are no national borders in achieving that aim.”
The Youth Communicators for a World without Nuclear Weapons project, initiated by Mr. Kishida, was established in 2013. At the request of citizens’ groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which will delegate activities involving peace and nuclear disarmament to young people abroad, the foreign ministry will select young people to adopt the title and role of youth communicator. So far, a total of 107 young people living in Japan between the ages of 15 to 29 have been selected to serve as youth communicators.
The foreign ministry is now planning to hold annual gatherings in Japan of those who have served as youth communicators, including those from abroad. It will also establish a global network of youth communicators.
Mr. Kishida also announced a plan to invite more than 1,000 people from abroad to the A-bombed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from April 2016 to March 2017. Through the foreign ministry’s existing projects that involve bringing young people and researchers from overseas to Japan, Mr. Kishida will further encourage the world to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the 2014 fiscal year, about 500 people visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki through these projects. The number of visitors in the 2015 fiscal year, which commemorated the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing, is estimated to have exceeded 1,000.
(Originally published on March 28, 2016)
