2024 Peace Action in Hiroshima held

2024.09.27

From August 4th to 5th, 2024, the Hiroshima Consumers' Co-operative Union and JCCU jointly held the "2024 Peace Action in Hiroshima," with approximately 2,000 participants, including online attendees from across Japan.

Peace Action is a unique initiative by Consumer Co-ops to think about peace through various themes, such as passing on the war and A-bomb experiences, global wars and conflicts, base issues, and the Constitution. Study lectures and exchange meetings are held every year in Nagasaki, Hiroshima, and Okinawa. In Hiroshima, the Hiroshima Action (renamed "Peace Action in Hiroshima" in 2004) began in 1978, and this year marks its 47th anniversary.

This year, in anticipation of the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing and post-war period, a total of nine events were held, focusing on passing down experiences to the next generation. These events included initiatives with young people engaged in peace activities, projects devised by young Co-op staff, and lectures from those dedicated to sharing stories about the atomic bombing.

●Youth Forum

Three young people involved in peace activities were invited to speak online as panelists. Afterwards, participants exchanged opinions and deepened exchanges with each other.

The screen is:

Top left: NAKAMURA Suzuka, Co-Chair of KNOW NUKES TOKYO

Bottom left: ASANO Hideo, Secretariat of the Japan Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

Bottom right: FUJITA Mirai, a second-year student at Hiroshima University and a member of the Executive Committee of the National Federation of University Co-operative Associations Peace Now!

●Change Makers -New Peace Activities by Youth and Consumer Co-ops-

This new project, devised by young staff from JCCU, aims to provide participants with hints on how to pass on their desire for peace to the next generation.

Mr. SUMIOKA Kenta, Executive Director of the NPO Peace Culture Village, which operates in Hiroshima under the motto "Creating jobs to foster peace," spoke about concrete projects, such as paid Peace Guides and using VR to convey A-bomb experiences. He emphasized the desire to leave a future where peace activities can be seen as "businesses rooted in love." Following his lecture, Mr. SUMIOKA and Co-op staff engaged in discussions on "New Peace Activities," addressing issues like the current challenges in peace work and what is necessary to encourage participation across generations. There was a shared opinion that it is important to change the perception that "peace activities belong to a select few" and that each individual considering peace is crucial.

●Children's Peace Conference

This project allows children, who are the future bearers of peace, to participate in pre-learning and workshops, learning and thinking about peace together. After being held online during the COVID-19 pandemic, this year it was organized in a hybrid format, bringing children back to Hiroshima for the first time in five years. A total of 55 students, from elementary to high school, participated from 13 prefectures. The opinions shared during the meeting were later compiled by the chairperson team and presented as an appeal statement at the August 8th Peace Action in Nagasaki "Niji-no Hiroba (Rainbow stage)".

Appeal Statement (Excerpt)

As we mark 79 years since the atomic bombing, how should we pass on our desire for peace to future generations? By fostering mutual understanding and building strong relationships, ensuring that the younger generation inherits the wishes of the A-bomb survivors, acquiring accurate knowledge, and sharing these messages through social media. I believe that communicating these ideas to those around us is the first step towards creating a peaceful world. Those who hear this message will, in turn, pass it on to those close to them. This chain of communication will become a bridge to connect future generations.

●Niji-no Hiroba (Rainbow stage)

The climax of the Peace Action in Hiroshima was marked by an event attended by 1,200 participants from across Japan, including online attendees. Representing the organizers, SHIMADA Hiroyuki, Managing Director and CEO of JCCU, delivered the opening remarks. After receiving greetings from guest speakers, including Mr. MATSUI Kazumi, Mayor of Hiroshima, and Mr. SUZUKI Shiro, Mayor of Nagasaki (via video message), there were testimonies from A-bomb survivors, speeches from family heirs, presentations on activities by local high school students, and choral performances.

Greetings from SHIMADA Hiroyuki, Managing Director and CEO of JCCU(excerpt)

We, the Japanese Consumer Co-ops, wholeheartedly embrace the wishes of war and A-bomb survivors that "We must never create atomic bomb victims again" and "We seek to eliminate nuclear weapons from the world," are actively engaged in a range of initiatives aimed at abolishing nuclear weapons and fostering a peaceful society.

Looking at the world today, we are facing an unprecedented crisis of peace. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has entered its third year, with repeated threats of the use of nuclear weapon. The conflict in the Gaza Strip in Palestine has also claimed many lives. International public opinion is rising in protest against these actions. Furthermore, during last year's second Conference of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a political declaration was adopted, affirming the commitment to "continue unwavering efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons for present and future generations," aiming to accelerate the movement toward nuclear disarmament.

Next year marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing and the end of World War II. As the average age of A-bomb survivors exceeds 85, the inheritance of their experiences is becoming increasingly important. As a consumer co-op that upholds "peace and a better life", we wish to further expand our efforts for peace with the conviction that humanity and nuclear weapons cannot coexist. Let us think and act together with our fellow cooperatives nationwide.