Video message from Prime Minister Kishida at the Opening Ceremony of the Japan Visit Programme (Study Tour to Hiroshima and Nagasaki) of the “Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons”
August 26, 2024
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[Provisional translation]
Dear participants of the Japan Visit Programme of “the Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons,”
I would like to congratulate all the participants selected for this study tour and thank all those who worked so hard to make the tour possible.
Hailing from Hiroshima, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation is my lifelong mission, which has become an increasingly important issue for the future of humanity under the current severe international situation. As the starting point for all efforts toward this goal, it is important to convey the realities of nuclear weapons use to the world. It is with this firm conviction that I announced the establishment of the “Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons” at the 2022 NPT Review Conference, which I attended for the first time as the Prime Minister of Japan.
Next year will mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As the Hibakusha are aging, the role of the younger generation, such as yourselves, is becoming even more important in conveying the realities of nuclear weapons use to the world. I understand that since the programme began last year, you, participants of the first cohort, have been taking online training courses. Through this visit to Nagasaki and Hiroshima, I hope that you will directly experience the realities of nuclear weapons use with your own eyes and ears, deepen your understanding, and engage in lively discussions toward a "world without nuclear weapons" as future leaders of the world.
We hope that this study tour will be an opportunity for all of you, the future leaders of the world, who have gathered from a wide range of countries, including both nuclear and non-nuclear-weapon States, to build a global network for a "world without nuclear weapons" and to firmly convey the realities of nuclear weapons use to the world.
