On Friday, 24 October 2024, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the awardee of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize was Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese grassroots organisation of atomic bomb survivors, also known as Hibakusha. Founded in 1956, the organisation regroups almost all Hibakusha in Japan and collaborates with other organisations in defending their rights. and collaborates with other organisations in defending their rights.
The Hibakusha work tirelessly for the prevention of nuclear war. By sharing the individual stories of their members, through advocacy actions in Japan and beyond, and by participating in several peace events around the world, they demand the complete elimination of all nuclear weapons.
The stories and testimonies of its members serve as powerful reminders of the devastation brought by nuclear war, “One day, the atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki will no longer be among us as witnesses to history,” the committee said, praising the culture of remembrance Nihon Hidankyo serves as they pass on their message to future generations.
In March 2024, some local members of Pax Christi USA organized a pilgrimage to Hiroshima and Nagasaki where they presented an apology letter, prepared in dialogue with the Hibakusha organizations in Hiroshima. The encounter was held at the Peace Cathedral in Hiroshima on March 10, 2024, at the exact time the atomic bomb was. The witness of the Hibakusha and the response of organizations/networks committed to peace and nonviolence show us the way to pursue.
On 24 July 2024, Kodama Michiko, Assistant Secretary-General of Nihon Hidankyo, delivered a powerful address on the 2nd Preparatory Meeting of the 2026 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. Pax Christi Representatives in the plenary meeting were deeply touched by her testimony, based on her firsthand experience of the atomic bomb as a child, and pleading with states not to create another Hibakusha.
Ongoing efforts by Pax Christi International for a world without nuclear weapons include the Nagasaki Catholic Peace Forum (CPF), held on 10 August 2024. In collaboration with bishops in Japan, Korea and USA, the “2024 Nagasaki Appeal for Peace” outlines a series of action plans for global nuclear disarmament, aligning with the Partnership for a World without Nuclear Weapons.
Nihon Hidankyo and Pax Christi International are partners of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Nobel Peace Prize 2017. By joining this campaign, we urge decision makers to work on ending the nuclear threats and abolishing nuclear weapons once and for all. These weapons do not only pose a grave danger to humanity, but they also erode the core values of Peace. Acknowledging Nihon Hidankyo’s work represents a crucial step forward in the global effort to eliminate nuclear arms and create a more peaceful world.
