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Message from Mayors for Peace

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Message from Mayors for Peace

Message from the President of Mayors for Peace

It is an honor and a pleasure to send this message on the occasion of the Earth Caravan 2017.

On August 6, 1945, a single atomic bomb was unleashed on Hiroshima, and this “absolute evil” instantly seared the entire city. Many innocent people from children to the elderly were slaughtered regardless of nationality and creed. By the end of the year, 140,000 precious lives had been taken. Those who managed to survive suffered the aftereffects of radiation, encountered discrimination and prejudice, and still carry deep scars in their minds and bodies.

Seventy-two years later, over 15,000 nuclear weapons remain, individually much more destructive than the one that inflicted Hiroshima’s tragedy, and collectively enough to destroy the Earth itself. Given this reality, we must honor the messages of Hiroshima, unify and manifest our passion in further action in order to clear the path toward a world free from that “absolute evil”, that ultimate inhumanity. We must respect diverse values and strive persistently toward a world where all people are truly “living together.”

When President Obama visited Hiroshima last year in May as the first U.S. sitting president to do so, he expressed acceptance of the hibakusha‘s heartfelt plea that “no one else should ever suffer as we have.” Declaring, “…among nations like my own that hold nuclear stockpiles, we must have the courage to escape the logic of fear, and pursue a world without them,” he reaffirmed his commitment to work for nuclear weapons abolition.

A future free from nuclear weapons will be realized through the passion of policymakers and everyone else and concrete actions taken with a sense of solidarity based on our shared desire for peace. In this sense, it is turuly significant that you host the Earth Caravan 2017 to call for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons and I extend my deepest respect for your endeavors.

Mayors for Peace, whose membership now exceeds 7,300 cities in 162 countries and regions, will solidify its unity with people around the world, and work with a passion to boost international momentum toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.

I would like to ask all of you to continue to strive with us to eliminate the absolute evil of nuclear weapons and realize a peaceful world.

In closing, I extend my best wishes for the great success of this event as well as the good health and happiness of all in attendance.

June 12th, 2017
MATSUI Kazumi
President of Mayors for Peace
Mayor of Hiroshima

<click here to see original message in pdf document>

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