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President of U.S. Atomic Heritage Foundation visits Hiroshima mayor

by Keiichi Nagayama, Staff Writer

On February 14, Cynthia Kelly, the president of the Atomic Heritage Foundation visited Hiroshima City Hall. Ms. Kelly’s foundation, a non-profit organization (NPO) located in Washington, DC, seeks to hand down the history of the Manhattan Project, the U.S. effort to develop the atomic bomb, to younger generations. She met with Kazumi Matsui, the mayor of Hiroshima, and told him that it is vital not to forget what happened in Hiroshima. She also pledged to help convey the reality of the atomic bombing to young Americans.

Ms. Kelly toured the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Naka Ward on February 13. Commenting on her impressions of the museum, she said that the stories of individuals who experienced the atomic bombing were heartbreaking. Mr. Matsui asked for her help, saying, “I hope you will pass on the true consequences of the atomic bombing to many people so they will understand its real impact, including the effects of radiation.”

The Atomic Heritage Foundation was founded by Ms. Kelly in 2002. The organization provides support for the operation of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in the United States and plans to hold an exhibition about the Manhattan Project. This is her first visit to Hiroshima, with the aim of developing video resources to educate young people about the damage that was wrought by the atomic bombings. She is scheduled to conduct interviews with A-bomb survivors, too.

(Originally published on February 15, 2019)

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