Peace Declaration (1961)

Today we observe the sixteenth anniversary of the destruction of Hiroshima by the atomic bomb.

On this day, in 1945, Hiroshima was reduced to ruins within a fraction of a second, and countless numbers of people were deprived of their lives. Moreover, the scars of the bombing have not disappeared after the passage of sixteen years, but continue to undermine people's life.

The experience of those people of Hiroshima who survived the horrible destruction made them foresee the possibility of the eventual annihilation of the world, should once again the atomic energy be employed as weapon. That it was by no means an exaggerated apprehension is being borne out by the rapid advance which followed subsequently in the achievements of science and technology.

It should now be clearly seen that a nuclear war will be a war without any victor, but will only lead to the suicide of mankind.

The time is not too late; now is the time for all peoples and all nations of the world to refrain from clinging to their own selfish claims and spend their efforts toward abolishing nuclear weapons and renouncing wars completely.

Thus do we declare to the world at large in the name of the citizens of Hiroshima as we this day bow low before the Cenotaph and pray for the repose of the souls of our fallen fellow countrymen.

August 6, 1961

Shinzo Hamai
Mayor
The City of Hiroshima