Toward a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World: One Billion Citizens’ Appeal
"In August 1945, the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were reduced to ruins, each by a single atomic bomb, and more than 210,000 people from the two cities lost their precious lives. Those who barely managed to survive had their lives totally changed and their endless suffering has continued to this day, 70 years later. Having lived through an experience too cruel to be put into words, the hibakusha—atomic bomb survivors—have continued to appeal for nuclear abolition and to convey their desire for peace to the people of the world. Their dedication stems from their deep humanitarian conviction that “no one else should ever again suffer as we have.’’
We, Mayors for Peace, are an international nonpartisan, non-governmental organization with members who profoundly empathize with the spirit of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and strive to establish a world free of nuclear weapons, as well as to realize peace and sustainable development. These aims are based on the mayoral responsibility to protect the safety and welfare of our people. We are writing today on behalf of all members of our organization, which is currently composed of over 6,900 member cities from 161 countries and regions, representing over a billion citizens from around the world. Our members keep growing.
