2016 August 3 - 9 [
PEACE]
Hiroshima welcomes 2016 nationwide anti-nuke peace marchers
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After departing from various locations across Japan up to three months ago, marchers in the 2016 nationwide anti-nuke peace march on August 4 reached their goal, the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima.
The march participants entered the park and received a warm welcome from local peace activists. After offering a minute of silence in front of the Memorial Cenotaph, a rally took place with 500 people participating, including the marchers and local peace activists.
Japan Council against A and H Bombs (Gensuikyo) representative director Odagawa Yoshikazu delivered a speech on behalf of the march organizer. Odagawa, who is the president of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), mentioned the fact that U.S. President Barack Obama in May, as the first sitting president, visited Hiroshima. He stressed that Obama’s visit was realized due to the various efforts made by peace activists, including those who participated the annual peace march, and A-bomb survivors who have been informing the world about how horrible the nuclear attacks were.
A 67-year-old man who walked all the way from Tokyo to Hiroshima along with other marchers gave speeches.
Past related articles:
> Calling on all state governments to conclude NWC, annual antinuke march begins [May 7, 2016]
> 2015 nationwide anti-nuke peace march reaches Hiroshima [August 5, 2015]