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Peace Messenger

Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Messengers

Since 1998, Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Messengers have been advocating for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of a peaceful world in various places around the globe, including visits to the United Nations Office at Geneva. They convey their message both domestically and internationally. They are selected through a public recruitment process held once a year from all over the country.

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The Beginnings of High School Student Peace Ambassadors

In the late 1990s, a series of nuclear tests were conducted around the world.

The citizens of Nagasaki, who felt a growing sense of crisis about this,sent high school students from Japan to the United Nations to directly advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

In October 1998, two high school students in Nagasaki

were dispatched to the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA.The Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Messengers program has begun.

Speech at the Conference on Disarmament

In 2014, Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Messengers gave a speech at a disarmament conference for the first time as civilians. This was made possible by their annual visits to the United Nations to advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons and their appointment as Youth Non-Nuclear Ambassadors by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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Peace Messengers

Since the third generation in 2000, Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Messengers have been visiting the United Nations Office at Geneva in Switzerland, where disarmament conferences are held. Recognized as 'Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Messengers' at the United Nations, these students have gained high praise and achieved significant results with their earnest words and actions.

Over 250 high school students have participated as Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Messengers, and the scope of their activities continues to expand every year.

Audience with the Pope

In 2019, before Pope Francis visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the atomic-bombed cities, two students who were then Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Messengers visited the Vatican and had an audience with the Pope. The Pope encouraged them to continue their efforts for world peace and to never forget the horrors of the atomic bombings.

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 HISTORY

Peace Messenger
Since 1998

It all started in Nagasaki...

1998

India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests one after another. 

1st
Generatin

The Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Peace Messengers were

established. 

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Two high school students from Nagasaki brought 6,380 signatures calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons to the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

High school students' peace activities have begun!

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1999

Hiroshima also selects

Peace Messengers

2000

The destination of the visit was changed to the United Nations Office at Geneva (Switzerland, Geneva), where the disarmament conference is held.

2001

Collecting signatures to abolish

nuclear weapons

" 10,000 High School Students

Signature Campaign " launched

Attacks of Sept. 11 occurred in America, prompting the U.S. military to commence airstrikes in Afghanistan at that time.

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2002

The "10,000 High School Students Pencil Movement" began.

We are collecting donations of school supplies to send to children in Asia who are in need of them.

2003

2004

2005

The Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Messengers began a visit to South Korea to learn about Japan's "acts of aggression." 

The nationwide recruitment for Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Messengers has commenced.

Selected from Kanagawa

and the UK

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2006

North Korea's first nuclear test

10th
Generation

Selection began in Tokyo

A recruitment quota was established overseas, selecting high school students from Brazil, Peru,

and South Korea.
Selection began in Kagoshima. 

2007

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2008

Selection begins in

Fukuoka

2009

Selection began in

Kumamoto

2010

2011

The Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

High school students

from disaster-stricken

areas selected

Selected from Iwate and Oita

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2012

Received a letter of appreciation from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan

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Selection began in Saga

The total number of signatures submitted to the United Nations reaches 1 million.

Selected as the first "Youth Communicator for a World without Nuclear Weapons" by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2013

Selected from Hokkaido,

Fukushima, and Shizuoka

2014

The Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Messengers delivered their first speech at the Geneva Disarmament Conference, marking the beginning of three consecutive years of speeches.

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Selection began in Nara

Security-related legislation enacted

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2015

Selection began in Niigata

2016

Then-President Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima.

Selection began

in Osaka

2017

20th

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons adopted

International NGO "International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)" receives Nobel Peace Prize

First Nobel Peace Prize nominee

2018

2018

2019

The total number of signatures submitted to the United Nations reached two million.

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2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,

Changed the destination of peace ambassadors to domestic

Began active use of digital signatures and SNS

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2021

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons comes into force

Selected from Aichi, Miyazaki, and Okinawa

"Peace Book Relay" launched to promote the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Russia invades Ukraine

Conference of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons held

Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Review Conference Held

2022

The national Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Messengers collaborated to release a peace action video titled 'The Blue Sky'.

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The activities of the High School Student Peace Ambassadors continue!

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