Youth Activists from Around the World Meet in Hiroshima to Pledge Abolition of Nuclear Weapons

Youth participants said the summit had deepened their sense of urgency. Erin Hunt of Mines Action Canada (MAC) commented, "This network of young people who now have this shared experience of knowing what these weapons can do-I think is very, very important."Messages of support were received from peace activists including NAPF President David Krieger, International Institute on Peace Education Founder Betty Reardon, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda and International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) Executive Director Michael Christ. The event was coordinated by representatives of ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons), MAC, NAPF, PAX, SGI and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). Cosponsors were the City of Hiroshima, the City of Nagasaki, Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, PCU Nagasaki Council, Nagasaki Global Citizens' Assembly for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Mayors for Peace, ICAN, IPPNW, the Basel Peace Office,...

Youth participants said the summit had deepened their sense of urgency. Erin Hunt of Mines Action Canada (MAC) commented, "This network of young people who now have this shared experience of knowing what these weapons can do-I think is very, very important."Messages of support were received from peace activists including NAPF President David Krieger, International Institute on Peace Education Founder Betty Reardon, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda and International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) Executive Director Michael Christ. The event was coordinated by representatives of ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons), MAC, NAPF, PAX, SGI and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). Cosponsors were the City of Hiroshima, the City of Nagasaki, Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, PCU Nagasaki Council, Nagasaki Global Citizens' Assembly for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Mayors for Peace, ICAN, IPPNW, the Basel Peace Office, Global Zero and Ban All Nukes generation (BANg). Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is a socially-engaged Buddhist network with 12 million members around the world that promotes peace, culture and education. It has been campaigning for the abolition of nuclear weapons for over 50 years.

See www.sgi.org.

Contact:
Joan Anderson
Office of Public Information
Soka Gakkai International
Tel: +81-80-5957-4711
Fax: +81-3-5360-9885
E-mail: anderson[at]soka.jp