Japanese Students Advocate for Nuclear Abolition at U.N. Gathering

A group of high school students from Japan, known as "student peace ambassadors," gathered near the U.N. headquarters in New York to advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons. The gathering coincided with a meeting of signatories to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Mayu Kobayashi, a 17-year-old student from Nagasaki Nishi High School, spoke at the event. She highlighted the devastating impact of the U.S. atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, which claimed over 210,000 lives instantly. Kobayashi emphasized the importance of continuous efforts to protect peace and prevent such tragedies from happening again.

Jiro Hamasumi, assistant secretary-general of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), also participated in the gathering. Nihon Hidankyo, which won the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, represents survivors of the atomic bombings and advocates for nuclear disarmament.

The gathering also included a speech by a Navajo woman, representing an Indigenous group that has suffered environmental pollution and health problems due to uranium mining. Their presence served as a reminder of the broader consequences of nuclear weapons and the need for their elimination.