6) The Will for Peace Based on the Realities of the Atomic Bombing

With the concept of creating a city full of the will for peace at our core, the City of Hiroshima considers spreading the will for peace to the world to be its mission. To achieve this mission, we are focused on preserving, disseminating, and conveying the realities of the atomic bombing, as this is the basis of the hibakusha will for peace.

Our city works in collaboration with cities not only at home, but also abroad in an effort to preserve, disseminate, and convey these realities. Our initiatives transcend differences, such as creed, gender, and nationality, and we believe this approach is a concrete example of initiatives that help the city gain global recognition as a peace city.
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Preserve
□ Preserve atomic-bombed buildings and trees
□ Collect hibakusha testimonies and materials

Disseminate
□ Promote peace through welcoming visitors
    - Call for visits by world policymakers
    - Invite and hold international conferences
□ Mayors for Peace
    - Increase membership
    - Distribute seeds and seedlings from atomic-bombed trees​

Convey
□ Create and disseminate the Peace Declaration
□ Manage the Peace Memorial Museum
□ Facilitate hibakusha testimonies

Among these initiatives, we are particularly focused on calling on policymakers and people from around the world to visit Hiroshima.

After the atomic bombing, Hiroshima was reduced to nothing but a burnt plain. From the ashes, the city underwent an incredible transformation and recovered to become the beautiful city that it is today. If the majority of people who visit Hiroshima are able to witness this stark contrast, we believe it will allow them to not only truly experience how precious peace is, but also to witness the power of what humans can achieve when they don’t give up, and the power of turning adversity into a driving force for growth. Initiatives such as these are collectively called Promoting Peace Through Welcoming Visitors.

It is also of the utmost importance for policymakers across the globe to truly understand the consequences that await the moment they decide to use a nuclear weapon. We would like to make their visit to Hiroshima an opportunity to resolve to take political action towards the abolition of nuclear weapons, no matter how arduous the journey may be.

In order to abolish nuclear weapons, it is necessary to make the will for peace the consensus of civil society. While the promotion of the culture of peace is an indispensable philosophy and effective measure in doing so, we must remember that the notion is supported and sustained by none other than the realities of the atomic bombing.

1) The Atomic Bombing and the Will of Hiroshima
2) Becoming an International Peace Culture City
3) What is the Culture of Peace?
4) The Significance of Promoting the Culture of Peace
5) Promoting the Culture of Peace is the Role of Cities
7) Promotion of the Culture of Peace by Mayors for Peace
Conclusion: Importance of Citizen-Led Initiatives ​

Inquiries regarding this page

Peace Promotion Division, Citizens Affairs Bureau
Tel: 81-82-242-7831/Fax: 81-82-242-7452
E-mail: peace@city.hiroshima.lg.jp