Peace Declaration (1969)

Today we commemorate the anniversary of the atomic bombing over again.

On this day twenty-four years ago, Hiroshima was reduced to ashes in less than no time, and the human lives taken away counted more than two hundred thousand. The radioactivity, moreover, having penetrated deep into human bodies, continues to this day to menace the life of the survivors. With the lapse of time, however, the people of the world tend to forget the grievous ravages of the atomic bomb and even their sense of its dreadfulness is being blunted.

The atomic and hydrogen bombs are weapons that bring not only mass destruction but also radioactivity, and it is crystal-clear that the earth, if covered all over by the proliferating radioactivity, would ultimately become uninhabitable for man. This not-withstanding, the major powers of the world are making desperate efforts to augment their nuclear armaments on the pretext of balance of power, inevitably spurring on humanity on its way to self-destruction.

Precisely in this context we see man's dream of landing on the moon come true. This most magnificent achievement of this century not merely adds glorious prestige to the experimenting nation alone, but it is the fruit of modern science and technology, and represents the triumph of human intelligence. We should strive to make this triumph a turning point toward man's ideal of all living and letting live, in prosperity shared by all. Having brought himself to the threshold of the space age, man should make use of his extended horizon and elevated viewpoint to expunge his conventional ways of thinking and proceed to establish a completely new conception of the world.

The world is one and mankind is of one inseparable body. The time has fully come for us to formulate a clear concept and thought on human existence; to take due cognizance of the fact that we as inhabitants of the earth all share one and the same destiny over and beyond the barriers of national sovereignties and the irreconcilabilities between the diverse social systems; to set up a new world order founded on a world law that is based upon the professed concept of world-citizenship; and to build up a world community that should be free of all wars. To realize this would prove a citadel against any recurrence of 'Hiroshimas' on earth; it should indeed be the mission of all those who live in the shaping of contemporary history.

For this we strongly appeal to the whole world, on this occasion of congregating today to pray for the repose of the souls of the fallen victims of the atomic bomb.

August 6, 1969

Setsuo Yamada
Mayor
The City of Hiroshima