 Gensuikyo board meeting discusses activities toward 60th anniversary of A-bombings The Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo) held its Executive Board meeting on September 16 and 17, and decided to increase "Abolition of Nuclear Weapons, Now!" grassroots activities in preparation for the two major events in 2005: the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the NPT Review Conference to be held in New York in May. This yearÕs World Conference against A & H Bombs provided an occasion of extensive discussions by foreign governments officials, NGO representatives, and grassroots activists. Takakusagi Hiroshi, Gensuikyo secretary general said, ŌThese discussions were successful in bringing to light the obstacles to the abolition of nuclear weapons and making clear what is to be done to achieve the goal. Let us build on this success to make further progress in our activities in preparation for the next yearÕs World Conference. In the Board meeting, local Gensuikyo representatives reported that many young people who took part in the 2004 World Conference are now beginning to take action in their towns to implement the World Conference decision. In many local communities, they are discussing what to do in preparation for the 60th anniversary. A Tottori Gensuikyo representative said, "High school students in our community are voluntarily planning to hold a study meeting for peace, and college students are discussing their plan to march in demonstration through New York City in May on the occasion of the NPT Review Conference." A representative of Kyoto Gensuikyo reported that there has been a big change in KyotoÕs young people who participated in the 2004 Word Conference and that they are working to set up a regular peace circle and support lawsuits filed by A-bomb survivors (Hibakusha) seeking official recognition as Hibakusha with diseases caused by the A-bombs. (end) |