7,000 people pledge to work for increased international cooperation for a nuclear-weapon free world

On August 6 in Hiroshima, as the Japanese people observed the 57th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, about 7,000 people from throughout Japan, joined by dozens of international participants, renewed their resolve to work together for "No More Hiroshimas, and No More Nagasakis."

The closing plenary of the 2002 World Conference against A and H Bombs - Hiroshima held at Hiroshima Prefectural Gymnasium adopted a unanimous "Appeal from Hiroshima" pointing out that to prevent nuclear war and abolish nuclear weapons is now an increasingly urgent task due to the U.S. Bush administration's policy of possible first use of such weapons.

Participants gave rounds of applause to overseas delegates and grassroots activists expressing their determination.

Kagoya Haruji, a Christian, said that Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution is precisely what the war dead left to us as their last will and testament. It is the only way to remove our major concern about war.

Wu Kesheng of the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament emphasized that humankind has the ability and wisdom to abolish nuclear weapons.

Annie Frison, a Natinal Bureau member of the French Peace Movement, called for a change away from the present world order controlled by power and violence.

A rock'n roll band staged a hot performance. The band's vocal was a nephew of Sasaki Sadako, the model for the statue of the A-bomb Child in the Peace Memorial Park. (end)