Youth Will Play an Important Role for the Nuclear-Free 21st Century

Conclusion/appeal of the International Youth Rally

"Let Us Get Rid of Nuclear Weapons" in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 2005

Commemorating the 60th year since atomic bombing, we, youth from around the world have held the International Youth Rallies: "Let Us Get Rid of Nuclear Weapons" in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many youth from more than 10 countries around the world gathered - 3,000 in Hiroshima and 800 in Nagasaki.

In the rallies, we learned the reality of atomic bombing through films and testimonies, and exchanged our activities in many countries, including Japan. We welcomed the speech by the Mayor of Hiroshima and received the Message from the Mayor of Nagasaki. During the 2005 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, we carried out various youth activities such as visiting Hibakusha or events to exchange our diverse and creative activities. These activities have helped us to build new solidarity among young people sharing the desire for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

We shall long remember Hibakusha's courage, with which they shared their painful experience with us. We were able to understand the horror of the atomic bombings and what nuclear weapons have brought about by listening to their story directly. Taking this opportunity, we shall inherit their quest for the peace and spread the reality of the atomic bombing among people by the young people with various youthful ideas and ingenuity.

Creating future without nuclear weapons is not a question of chance or opportunity but a question of our will. To achieve a nuclear weapon free world by our hands, let us develop grassroots activities among us and across the world and strengthen the exchange of activities in the different countries. Let us meet each other again in August 2006.

International Youth Rally: "Let Us Get Rid of Nuclear Weapons"

August 8, 2005

http://www.geocities.jp/youth_against_nukes/new_sites/documents_en/appeal_hiroshima_nagasaki_en.html

More informations : http://www.geocities.jp/youth_against_nukes/new_sites/pages_en/index_en.html