UN official visits Hiroshima, believes UN Secretary-General is interested in coming to A-bombed city
Mar. 7, 2018
by Kyosuke Mizukawa, Staff Writer
On March 6, Fabrizio Hochschild, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination, paid a visit to Hiroshima. Mr. Hochschild reports directly to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and supports him in the field in efforts that include peacekeeping and human rights. When asked about the possibility of Mr. Guterres visiting the A-bombed city, Mr. Hochschild replied, “I think he would be interested in coming to Hiroshima,” and pledged his support for that goal.
Mr. Hochschild met with Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui at Hiroshima City Hall. Mr. Matsui told him that Hiroshima hopes Mr. Guterres will visit the city and send out a message of peace. Responding to Mr. Matsui’s request, Mr. Hochschild said that he would certainly pass on the invitation by the mayor, expressing his view that Mr. Guterres feels favorably about a visit to Hiroshima.
Afterward, Mr. Hochschild toured the Peace Memorial Museum in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and offered flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims. He told the press, “The world will never be a peaceful place as long as nuclear weapons exist on this earth. Hiroshima is a motivating force for the people working at the United Nations.”
Mr. Hochschild is from Chile and was appointed to his current post in January 2017. Invited by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he arrived in Japan on March 3. His trip to Hiroshima was arranged at his request.
(Originally published on March 7, 2018)
On March 6, Fabrizio Hochschild, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination, paid a visit to Hiroshima. Mr. Hochschild reports directly to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and supports him in the field in efforts that include peacekeeping and human rights. When asked about the possibility of Mr. Guterres visiting the A-bombed city, Mr. Hochschild replied, “I think he would be interested in coming to Hiroshima,” and pledged his support for that goal.
Mr. Hochschild met with Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui at Hiroshima City Hall. Mr. Matsui told him that Hiroshima hopes Mr. Guterres will visit the city and send out a message of peace. Responding to Mr. Matsui’s request, Mr. Hochschild said that he would certainly pass on the invitation by the mayor, expressing his view that Mr. Guterres feels favorably about a visit to Hiroshima.
Afterward, Mr. Hochschild toured the Peace Memorial Museum in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and offered flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims. He told the press, “The world will never be a peaceful place as long as nuclear weapons exist on this earth. Hiroshima is a motivating force for the people working at the United Nations.”
Mr. Hochschild is from Chile and was appointed to his current post in January 2017. Invited by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he arrived in Japan on March 3. His trip to Hiroshima was arranged at his request.
(Originally published on March 7, 2018)
