Akira Kawasaki speaks in Hiroshima about ICAN winning the Nobel Peace Prize
Oct. 26, 2017
by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer
On October 26, Akira Kawasaki, 48, a member of the international steering committee of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), spoke about the awarding of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to ICAN to gatherings of A-bomb survivors and members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Hiroshima. ICAN is an NGO that made a significant contribution to the establishment of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Mr. Kawasaki said that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2017 is a reward for all those who have worked hard to advance the abolition of nuclear arms, and he shared his joy with the people in attendance.
Around 30 A-bomb survivors gathered at a café in Naka Ward to greet Mr. Kawasaki. These survivors have taken part in voyages organized by Peace Boat, a Tokyo-based NGO for which Mr. Kawasaki serves as an executive committee member. During these voyages aboard a large passenger ship, the survivors shared their A-bomb experiences in a range of countries. Since 2008, a total of approximately 170 A-bomb survivors have participated in 10 Peace Boat voyages. Mr. Kawasaki talked about these trips, mentioning the difficulties involved, while at the same time expressing appreciation and gratitude to the survivors.
Mitsuo Kodama, 85, a resident of Naka Ward who took part in a Peace Boat voyage in 2010, said, “Winning the Nobel Peace Prize is so wonderful. I want to use the opportunity that this award gives us to convey the inhumanity of nuclear weapons, which cause damage right down to the bone.”
At another location in Naka Ward, some local groups that are involved in peace activities held a gathering with 19 people to celebrate the Nobel Prize win with Mr. Kawasaki. Haruko Moritaki, 78, the co-chair of the Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, looked toward the future by saying, “The nuclear weapons ban treaty could not have been realized without a big international campaign. I’d like to continue working together with ICAN to advance nuclear abolition.”
(Originally published on October 26, 2017)
On October 26, Akira Kawasaki, 48, a member of the international steering committee of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), spoke about the awarding of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to ICAN to gatherings of A-bomb survivors and members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Hiroshima. ICAN is an NGO that made a significant contribution to the establishment of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Mr. Kawasaki said that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2017 is a reward for all those who have worked hard to advance the abolition of nuclear arms, and he shared his joy with the people in attendance.
Around 30 A-bomb survivors gathered at a café in Naka Ward to greet Mr. Kawasaki. These survivors have taken part in voyages organized by Peace Boat, a Tokyo-based NGO for which Mr. Kawasaki serves as an executive committee member. During these voyages aboard a large passenger ship, the survivors shared their A-bomb experiences in a range of countries. Since 2008, a total of approximately 170 A-bomb survivors have participated in 10 Peace Boat voyages. Mr. Kawasaki talked about these trips, mentioning the difficulties involved, while at the same time expressing appreciation and gratitude to the survivors.
Mitsuo Kodama, 85, a resident of Naka Ward who took part in a Peace Boat voyage in 2010, said, “Winning the Nobel Peace Prize is so wonderful. I want to use the opportunity that this award gives us to convey the inhumanity of nuclear weapons, which cause damage right down to the bone.”
At another location in Naka Ward, some local groups that are involved in peace activities held a gathering with 19 people to celebrate the Nobel Prize win with Mr. Kawasaki. Haruko Moritaki, 78, the co-chair of the Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, looked toward the future by saying, “The nuclear weapons ban treaty could not have been realized without a big international campaign. I’d like to continue working together with ICAN to advance nuclear abolition.”
(Originally published on October 26, 2017)
