Received by World Beyond War on Saturday, August 22, 2015
Dear friends,
With the theme: “A Nuclear Weapon-Free, Peaceful and Just World – Let Us Make the 70th Year of the A-bombing a Decisive Turn to a World without Nuclear Weapons,” the 2015 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs was held from August 2 to 9 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It ended with great success by the participation of a total of 11,750 people: 250 in the International Meeting (Aug. 2-4, Hiroshima), 5,500 in Hiroshima Conference (Aug. 4-6), and 6,000 in Nagasaki Conference (Aug. 7-9), including 147 overseas delegates/guests from 21 countries.
The Organizing Committee of the Conference would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and solidarity to all of you, who have travelled all the way to join the conference, sent delegates and messages to the conference, and who carried out commemorative actions on Hiroshima and Nagasaki days in your respective places in solidarity with us.
In the midst of growing world attention to the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, the presentations and reports by Hibakusha from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, medical and legal experts who have consistently worked on this issue and those by the victims of nuclear tests from overseas revealed the actual damage and sufferings brought about by the atomic bombing since 1945. They sent a strong warning to the world on the urgency of totally banning all nuclear weapons.
The Conference had the honor of being addressed by Mr. Kim Won-soo, Acting U.N. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, government representatives from Indonesia, Venezuela, Cuba, and a New Zealand parliament member, adding to the representatives of a broad range of peace movements from around the world. They included active campaigners for the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons in the 5 nuclear weapon states and those under the “nuclear umbrella” and Pacific island nations and territories, and religious leaders working for peace beyond creed. Their participation helped enrich the exchange of views and experiences and generate a firm determination to make great advance to the goal of a world without nuclear weapons in the 70th year of the A-bombing.
In the Conference, many overseas delegates expressed their support and solidarity to the Japanese people and civil society in their struggle against war legislation, which would lead Japan to participate in warfare abroad in the name of the “right to collective self-defense”, trampling on Article 9 of the Constitution that prohibited the use of force, right of belligerency and possession of war potentials. They also offered strong support to the struggle of Okinawa to remove dangerous U.S. bases and to block the construction of a new base.
The Conference adopted the “Declaration of the International Meeting” on Aug. 4, “Hiroshima Appeal” on Aug. 6 in the Hiroshima Day Rally and “Call from Nagasaki” on Aug. 9 in Nagasaki. The Declaration of the International Meeting, among others, calls on national governments, public agencies and civil society movements to work together to make the 70th year of the atomic bombing a decisive turn to a nuclear weapon-free world and achieve a total ban and elimination of nuclear weapons without any further delay. (Copy of the “Declaration” is attached.) It also sets out a number of concrete actions for the civil society to take up so that the experiences and struggles of the Hibakusha can be shared among the people of the world, such as holding A-bomb exhibitions in numerous communities and petition campaigns which will enable each citizen to take part in a process to establish a nuclear weapon-free world.
In concluding, we reiterate our deep gratitude to you for your warm support and cooperation to the 2015 World Conference against A and H Bombs. We continue to look forward to working together with you in our common struggle to achieve a “nuclear weapon-free, peaceful and just world.”
Organizing Committee, World Conference against A and H Bombs
