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On this day of twenty-eight years ago, the atomic bomb devastated Hiroshima in one instant and took the lives of more than two hundred thousand citizens. The documentary photographs of the atomic bomb disaster recently released to the public after their return by the United States government have again made vivid the disastrous consequences of this event. The impact of these has resulted in a renewed intellectual and emotional realization of the hatred of war and desire for peace that form "the heart of Hiroshima."
As we observe Atomic Bomb Memorial Day today, we firmly appeal to all people in the world in these words: "Hiroshima should never by any means be repeated."
The Vietnam cease-fire agreement has at long last been concluded, and the normalization of diplomatic relation between Japan and the People's Republic of China has come into view. A thaw in the international climate seems to be beginning. Yet there is still no firm political guarantee that assures the termination of nuclear wars. France has ignored the strong protests of the entire world and carried through its nuclear testing in the South Pacific. The United States of America, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the People's Republic of China are still continuing nuclear testings. They all attempt to justify themselves for the sake of national security shielded by, what we call, national sovereignty, an excuse that is not merely anachronistic, but more importantly, a criminal act against all mankind.
So that nuclear weapons may be abolished promptly, and nuclear testing be ended immediately and completely, citizens everywhere in the world must find ways to bring their efforts into a strong united movement. Dedicated and sincere education for peace is the true source of world harmony. "The heart of Hiroshima" is passed on as a living legacy to the coming generations. And consistent with progress in peace education and peace research, we actively call upon the whole world for the creation of a new civilized community based upon human dignity.
Wars have their inception within the minds of men. When we directly observe the realities of today, namely, the environmental destruction sweeping all over the world, the pressure of population growth, the exhaustion of natural resources that quickly leads to critical shortages of food and other human necessities, and then we feel deep apprehension for the desolation that can be perceived in the human spirit, and for all the factors that potentially threaten peace in the world.
True peace in the world can only be assured by the establishment of world order governed by world law. In circumstances where mundialization is inevitable, security and prosperity for the self-interest of any single nation is beneath consideration. We are now in an age of transition: the age of the nation state is behind us, and the age of the world state just ahead of us. The solidarity and co-operation of the entire world is the only road to betterment of conditions and, indeed, to survival. I cannot state this too strongly.
As we stand here in presence of the souls of the victims of the atomic bomb, we renew our vows of peace, and declare the above, in the name of the entire citizenry of Hiroshima, to all people in our nation and of the whole world.
August 6, 1973
Setsuo Yamada
Mayor
The City of Hiroshima