Youth Take Action

Feedback was collected from the audience in the form of a questionnaire during the May 26 forum. 

 Everyone was deeply moved by the beautiful and thought-provoking film by Masaaki Tanabe, which he created through many interviews and extensive research.

 For the audience, one of the most shocking points of lecture was learning that one of the busiest streets where the bomb dropped happened to be where Hiroshima Peace Park stands today. Some people, even in Japan, mistakenly think it was a lucky coincidence that the bomb struck a park, but this is absolutely inaccurate. People need to be made aware of the truth.

 Another haunting scene was the eerie silence Tanabe experienced when he returned to Hiroshima two days after the bomb. The only sound to break the silence was the sobbing and wailing of bomb victims. It is difficult for me to imagine such silence.

 Thanks to the movie, the forum was a great success. Mr. Tanabe is presently reediting and updating the film, aiming for August 6, 2010.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon provides a message of support for Nuclear Abolition Day — a global day of action for a treaty to abolish nuclear weapons.

UN Secretary-General’s Nuclear Abolition Day Message from ICAN on Vimeo.

The website of Purdue University Calumet introduces THS exhibit which was held in the end of January.

http://www.pucchronicle.com/news/2010/02/01/News/Beating.The.Drum.Of.Liberty-3861477.shtml

Recently I watched the premiere of a documentary called Flashes of Hope: Hibakusha Traveling the World. This took place at the United Nations as a side event during the General Assembly First Committee’s session on disarmament and international security matters. To my surprise, the film was directed by a young woman from Costa Rica who only started investigating hibakusha and nuclear weapons issues one year ago.

One feature that I liked about the film is the director’s combination of images and educational aids, which helped demystify and clarify questions such as what happens when an atomic bomb detonates. At the start of the film, a nuclear disarmament educator gives a scientific yet easily understandable explanation of what happens at the moment of detonation of an atomic bomb, illustrating it visually with artwork by hibakusha and clips from the animated version of Barefoot Gen (introduced below). This was really helpful as young people, especially from developed countries, often find it difficult to even begin imagining what it’s like to experience the horrific effects of war, and atomic bombs in particular.

Another unique feature was the film’s rhythmic pace. Each segment of the film was concise, with original background music setting a steady tone throughout the film, which held my attention all the way through. I have heard the director saying that she wanted to touch young people who are used to fast-paced media such as MTV. Listening to her remarks, I was once again reminded that young people’s boundless creativity, fresh ideas and innovative approaches can contribute to reducing indifference and disinterest by their peers toward nuclear disarmament without necessarily having to become an expert in nuclear disarmament.

I would like to mention a few other multimedia works for those who may be interested:

 “1945-1998” shows the history of atomic bombing and testing throughout the world using computer graphics, sound and light. http://www.ctbto.org/specials/1945-1998-by-isao-hashimoto/

This website lists winning short videos from the “WMD – We Must Disarm” campaign launched by the UN: http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/2009/competition.shtml

On October 5, 2009, the Living Buddhism Organization (LBO), a Soka Gakkai International (SGI) student organization at Yale University, organized an event consisting of a discussion session with a hibakusha (an atomic bombing survivor) and a showing of the exhibition “From a Culture of Violence to a Culture of Peace: Transforming the Human Spirit.”

At the beginning of her presentation, Mrs. Setsuko Thurlow, a Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor, said that the fact that a small group of students initiated the event and were making the issue more known to the people really excited her. When I heard this, I thought no matter how many times Mrs. Thurlow has shared her experience with young people, seeing youth taking action toward nuclear abolition still makes her happy and excited even to this day.

I also had the chance to hear what LBO student organizers learned before and after holding the event. One of the members said that to be honest the issue of nuclear abolition did not seem close to her before.

However, as she and her team interviewed people with war experiences, they noticed that their interviewees remembered the events of the war, the feelings and kind of emotions they felt as if it had just happened yesterday. And because there will be fewer and fewer atomic bomb survivors, the students felt that conveying their stories, studying about them, and having dialogue among people are some things that youth of our generation could do. Lastly, she also mentioned that there’s no other way to abolish nuclear weapons but to change each person’s awareness through continual dialogue.

Name: Emily
Age: 27
Gender: Female

A few days ago I came across this People’s Decade website. It reminded me of an experience I had some years back.

I remember sitting in my high school U.S. History class, listening to my teacher explaining about the nuclear bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and claiming that they were “a necessary evil to stop the war.” I instinctively knew that I couldn’t agree with the idea that the use of nuclear weapons could be justified under any circumstances, but I couldn’t muster the courage inside to voice my opinion at that time.

Being Japanese-American, at times I have found myself in an awkward position: though I am undoubtedly opposed to nuclear weapons at heart, it’s often difficult to speak out. Therefore, I was moved by President Barack Obama’s courageous declaration calling for a world without nuclear weapons and his actions toward this goal. He must have been prepared to be attacked for his stand, but one person’s courage can appeal to other leaders’ conscience and build a strong current toward nuclear abolition.

I know that regardless of my background and circumstances, I must always maintain the courage to speak out against nuclear weapons. Everything–no matter how daunting the issue may seem–begins with one person’s courage from within.

Name: Julie
Age: 25
Gender: Female

Hadashi no Gen, one of the most popular comic book series in Japan, has been translated into English by a volunteer group called Project Gen. The translation was finished this year (2009) and published in the United States under the title Barefoot Gen.

Loosely based on creator Kenji Nakazawa’s own life, the story begins in 1945 in and around Hiroshima, Japan, where six-year-old Gen lives with his family. The atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima, and Gen and other survivors are left to deal with the horror and devastation in its aftermath.

The other day, Nakazawa attended a party in Hiroshima commemorating the publication of Barefoot Gen. He expressed his desire to give a copy to U.S. President Barack Obama.

Barefoot Gen was one of my favorites when I was an elementary school student. I read it repeatedly and thought that the A-bomb was very terrifying.

“Melted skin hanging from bare muscle, bloated bodies floating down a river.” These are horrible scenes that the author himself witnessed after the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.

I’ll never forget the impact this had on me.

“The reality was much worse than what I was able to present,” he says. “In literature writers have described the burned skin on people’s arms, for example, as if they were gloves that had been turned inside-out. But can you imagine what it actually looks like? Manga (comic books), on the other hand, are a great tool which can visually appeal to readers.”

I hope many people, especially youth, realize through Barefoot Gen that nuclear weapons are an absolute evil and decide to take action for nuclear abolition.

Name: Tadashi
Age: 24
Gender: Male

In New York, people have begun to enthusiastically support our cause and introduce the People’s Decade site to their friends. Thanks to their efforts, we were recently inundated with contributions adding voices to the Olive Tree of Peace. While we are ecstatic at the overwhelming response, technical problems unfortunately make it impossible for us to introduce all of these voices on the Olive Tree of Peace at this time. Therefore, we would like to eventually showcase all of them in this blog. Eleven are being introduced now.

It may be that those who raised their voices have become more aware of the topic of nuclear abolition partly because they’ve just marked the 8th anniversary of the 9.11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. and partly because President Obama is slated to attend a UN conference on nuclear disarmament at the end of this month.

The critical 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will be held in Geneva from 28 April to 8 May next year. It’s certain to become a hotter topic as the date draws near, and the staff of the People’s Decade website are determined to work harder than ever for the cause of nuclear disarmament.

Greg Bailey
Male, 25
United States
The human race needs peace now because we are still suffering from the wars of our past. War is addictive and like any addiction, it destroys us from the inside out. It poisons us.
   Nevertheless, we feed the addiction until we become victims.
   For the generations yet to come, we must stop the violence now, stop the addiction in its tracks and maybe the next generation will be free from suffering and pain.

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Rie Kanamaru
Female, 13
United States
You can try to make peace by yourself but you will always need supporters. Peace is everything but threat and war and ugly death.
   War is pointless, just threatening people’s lives and ruining the environment.
   Is there a reason why we should have war? No, not a single reason. Life shouldn’t be risked easily. Life is something great.
   Why waste life in pushing your own thoughts? If you threaten, they will threaten back.
   Everyone has their own pride and opinions. All we can do is respectfully accept them.

* * * * *

Peggy Walters
Female, 62
United States
Our most precious resource is the people. Our people. We must do everything we can to protect our most precious treasure.
   Nuclear disarmament must happen no matter what.

* * * * *

Mohita Satara
Female, 25
India
Our world today is a global village and it is imperative that all of our interactions (interpersonal & global), stem from a place of peaceful exchange. Exchange based on our understanding, cooperation & tolerance.
   This is the only way for friendships to develop, for conflict to be resolved without fighting & for understanding to well forth from differences.
   For this to occur, nuclear disarmament is essential. We cannot allow ourselves to live on the brink of destruction; where we make unwise decisions that harm humanity.
   We need to excercise our wisdom and ensure that there is never an opportunity that nuclear weapons can ever be available to anyone and instead give everyone only peaceful options & dialogue for resolving conflict.

* * * * *

Zack L.
Male, 15
United States
Nuclear weapons are bad. Nuclear bombs have the capability of destroying a whole city with a touch of a button. That’s too much power for one person or even a country to have.

* * * * *

Jeffrey M. Levine
Male, 58
United States
All people are entitled to live their lives in peace and with hope for the future. The very existence of nuclear weapons destroys that hope.
   Children especially should be able to grow up with a sense of the unlimited possibilities in the future. If we care at all for our children, the threat of nuclear weapons must be completely eliminated.

* * * * *

Jennifer Lee
Female, 56
Guyana
To achieve lasting peace everyone should strive to engage at least one person in meaningful dialogue and action for peace. The first step is usually difficult but not insurmountable.

* * * * *

Alex Boucher
Male, 43
United States
We have lost so many lives senselessly because of the use of nuclear arms. Still there are individuals who mistakenly believe that nuclear arms pose no threat to humanity and its existence.
   These erroneous views are what need to be quickly reformed.

* * * * *

Alexandra Rogriguez
Female, 38
United States
I think that war is not worth anything because many people die in the process. losing lives and their loved ones crying out all their tears just doesn’t seem right.

* * * * *

Louise Kuhne
Female, 7
United States
There will be no wars. There will be no bombs.

* * * * *

Nicole Kwan
Female, 8
United States
Everyone has peace and no fighting. Everyone has happiness, has friends.

The United Nations Disarmament Conference in Niigata was held from August 26 to 28, 2009.

The leaders of Kazakhstan were so animated when they talked about taking action for nuclear abolition. During the UN conference on disarmament held in Niigata last month, I was deeply impressed with the pride they showed, which derives from their own history of nuclear abolition.

At a glance, I had no idea where they were from or couldn’t even begin to guess from what country they hailed. It was a bit similar to the feelings shared by Emily in a previous blog article.

At the conference there were many presenters from various countries, including politicians, ambassadors, writers and professors. The presentations covered a wide range of topics. The time allotted for Q&A was always insufficient because discussions became so impassioned.

One reason I was so impressed with the Kazakhstan delegates is that they spoke about their own empirical experiences, which must have been so much easier in the telling than the actual experiences themselves.

I genuinely aspire toward a nuclear-free world, but it’s completely meaningless if I don’t take action. But, I find that keeping the passion alive is oftentimes difficult.

I hope this website will continue to evolve as a powerful resource tool for conveying information and raising awareness about nuclear abolition.

Name: Nobu
Age: 32
Gender: Male

At a recent exhibition held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, I was struck by three unique examples of collaborations toward the creation of a nuclear-free world. 

The Permanent Missions of Japan and Kazakhstan cosponsored an exhibition titled “Against Nuclear Arms.” Initially, I didn’t know what the two countries had in common but I learned that in fact, people of both Japan and Kazakhstan suffered greatly from nuclear weapons. As many are aware, Japan recently commemorated the 64th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Kazakhstan will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first nuclear testing conducted by the Soviet Union 150 km west of the town of Semipalatinsk at a nuclear test site referred to as the Semipalatinsk Polygon, on August 29, 1949. Learning that Japan and Kazakhstan organized this exhibition for the “common cause of ending nuclear devastation,” I felt that this was a good example of governments collaborating toward a common cause.

Viewing the exhibition panels, I also found another example of an inspirational collaboration. In 1989, concerned Kazakh citizens of Nevada-Semipalatinsk, an international anti-nuclear movement, successfully appealed for the close-down of the nuclear testing facility in Kazakhstan. The movement was inspired by protests by their American counterparts at the Nevada Test Site in the U.S. This historic achievement taught me about the strength of people working together toward nuclear disarmament.

Unlike the first and second examples, the third is a collaboration between two individuals. Masaru Tanaka, a second generation Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor who specializes in photography and video art, collaborated with artist Betsie Miller-Kusz, the daughter of a physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project in 1945. Together they created computer-generated collage they titled Peace’s New Century. An example of their artwork is a photograph of Pearl Harbor with an overlay rendering of a paper crane that blends and merges together with the photography. I felt that the collaborative art of Tanaka and Miller-Kusz emanates a powerful message from two individuals who have conquered deep divides to work together toward the creation of a nuclear-free world.

Name: Emily
Age: 27
Gender: Female