"Yes! Campaign" Sells Over 10,000 Books...

The "Yes! Campaign," reports that over 10,000 of its books about the "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol," have been sold less than four months since the book was published.

The book is being promoted by a group of A-bomb survivors (hibakusha) who are touring Japan in order to publicize the protocol. So far they have visited Hokkaido, Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa, Hyogo, Okayama, Tottori, and Shimane.

According to Maeko Nobumoto, secretary general of the group, they are "sensing the growing momentum for nuclear abolition."

The "Yes! Campaign" wants the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol to be adopted at the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in May 2010. They are planning to lobby the Japanese government in the hope that the government will agree to ask the conference to discuss the protocol.

The "Yes! Campaign" book includes the text of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol and is illustrated throughout by the well known artist, Seitaro Kuroda.

If you would like a copy of the "Yes! Campaign" book, please contact ANT-Hiroshima at: ant@ant-hiroshima.org.

ANT-Hiroshima

Napalese Versions of Paper Crane Journey Distributed To Local Schools Near Kathmandu

Here are some photos of school children in junior schools near Kathmandu, Nepal who are reading copies of the Nepalese version of Paper Crane Journey, by by Shiho Umino, which were donated by ANT-Hiroshima and distributed by our voluntary representative on the ground, Rakesh Shrestha.







Rakesh Shrestha informs us that the children were excited to receive the books and that they made a refreshing change from reading school study books. The children were also moved by Sadako's suffering and the story of her struggle of an innocent school girl to survive after the devastation of the atomic bomb at the end of World War II.

ANT-Hiroshima

Nassrine Azimi's "Friendship Forest" Peace Initiative, Motomachi Elementary School

In May 2009 Nassrine Azimi the first director of the UNITAR Hiroshima (2003-2009) planted some trees in a corner of Motomachi Elementary School in Hiroshima with the aim of fostering a spirit of peace and harmony. The area set aside for the tree planting was named "Friendship Forest". The trees included a phoenix-tree and a hackberry tree which were the second or third generation "offspring" of trees that were exposed to the A-bomb dropped on Hiroshima on 6th August 1945.



On 19th October, Tomoko Watanabe, (representing ANT-Hiroshima), and Nassrine Azimi's mother (representing Nassrine Azimi) attended a ceremony to mark the opening of the garden for the school children. Songs were sung and the school children read some small speeches about their hopes for peace and Tomoko-san talked to them about peace and the Friendship Forest.

Nassrine Azimi is hoping to plant more "friendship forests" in other places beyond Hiroshima in the future.

ANT-Hiroshima

YES! Campaign Booklets Distributed To Adult English Classes In Hiroshima

This week David (who runs the ANT-Hiroshima.blogspot.com blog) distributed Hiroshima-Nagasaki YES! Campaign For The Abolition Of Nuclear Weapons By 2020" booklets to his students at two community centres in Hiroshima, Suzugamine Kominkan and Ajina-Dai Kominkan.

David is a Hiroshima-based freelance English teacher who also works part time for ANT-Hiroshima. The YES! Campaign booklet has both English and Japanese texts as well as illustrations by Seitaro Kuroda, a famous contemporary Japanese artist. The books provided a good talking point for reading and discussion in the classes.

The two photos in this blog report are of English students in class at Ajina-Dai Kominan with their copies of the YES! Campaign booklet.

If you would be interested in distributing some copies of the YES! Campaign booklet, please contact the ANT-Hiroshima office at ant@ant-hiroshima.org.

ANT-Hiroshima

Sadako Primary School in Pakistan Appeals For Funds

After the earthquake that hit northeastern Pakistanin 2006, a delegation of ANT-Hiroshima representatives visited the area. One of the team, Chika Harada remained in Muzaffarabad until October of that year to help the local people with hygiene control and also to oversea the delivery of sporting equipment to schools in the area.

During that period, about 2,000 copies of the children's peace education book, Sadako's Prayer, were distributed to local schools. This initiative led to local people forming an NGO called "Sadako Foundation" with the aim of providing peace-based education to children in need in the area. They built Sadako Primary School with the help of funds provided by Hiroshima citizens through the auspices ANT-Hiroshima.



In a recent report from Chika Harada, now back in Hiroshima, she explains that the school is in serious financial difficulties and she has made an appeal through the Hiroshima Peace Media Center for funds to help the school survive.

Chika Harada (in blue) about to address a class of children at a school in Kashmir.

For further information, please contact the ANT-Hiroshima office at ant@ant-hiroshima.org.

ANT-Hiroshima.

Message from Mrs. Tomoko Watanabe, Executive Director of ANT-Hiroshima

Here is the message which Tomoko Watanabe, Executive Director of ANT-Hiroshima, delivered to the Mayors for Peace conference in Nagasaki in August. Tomoko Watanabe used the occasion to highlight the "Yes Campaign" initiative and explain its purpose...

On the occasion of the 64th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I would like to extend my greetings and best wishes to all my fellow human beings throughout the world on behalf of members of ANT-Hiroshima, a peace organization based in Hiroshima-Japan.

As you recall on August 6 and 9 in 1945 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bomb was dropped and the blast killed many thousands people immediately, and many more dying of radiation in the years afterward.

While remembering those who died and the Hibakusha (survivors) of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki we need to make sure that such a sad incident will not happen again in any part of the world. But this wish can not be granted as long as there are nuclear weapons in our world. Therefore we need to abolition all form of nuclear weapons from the face of the earth.

To make this happen our organization along with other like minded promoting the "YES! CAMPAIGN". The main purpose of this campaign is to bring to the international community and world citizens together to join hand to say “NO” to nuclear weapons and the death they wreak and “YES” to life and world at peace.

The “Yes! Campaign,” is a network of peace organizations based in Hiroshima, Japan, is engaged in promoting awareness of the “Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol” to help realize its adoption at the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference.

The “Yes! Campaign” posters each feature one-of-a-kind illustrations by Seitaro Kuroda, one of Japan’s foremost artists. Mr. Kuroda created these illustrations during a live event on August 2, 2009 in front of the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.

The “Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol,” is a road-map for the elimination of nuclear weapons by the year 2020 that has been proposed by Mayors for Peace. Mayors for Peace and their supporters like ANT-Hiroshima are pursuing the adoption of this protocol at the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, scheduled for May 2010 at U.N. Headquarters in New York.

I appeal to all of you to join us in our “YES! CAMPAIGN” and to do your part in spreading support for the “Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol” throughout the world in the run-up to the Review Conference next May. Together we can make a nuclear weapons free world by the year 2020.

Ant-Hiroshima

Profile of Ambassador Mussie Hailu

When Ambassador Mussie Hailu visited Hiroshima, Tomoko Watanabe asked him if he would take on the role of representative for ANT-Hiroshima in Africa. Ambassador Mussie Hailu readily agreed to Tomoko-san's proposal, and on his return to his mother country, Ethiopia, he began to raise the profile of ANT-Hiroshima in Africa through newspaper reports (see previous blog post), and by distriting the children's peace education book, Sadako's Prayer, published by ANT-Hiroshima.

So, who is Ambassador Mussie Hailu? Let's have a the life of ANT-Hiroshima's new African representative...



Ambassador Mussie Hailu born and grew up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and studied Comparative Religions, International Relationships, Management and Metaphysical Philosophy. He also attended at the Peace building & Development Institute at School of International Service of American University Summer Course.

He is an international advocate and activist for Culture of Peace, Interfaith Harmony & cooperation, world citizenship, right human relationship, reconciliation & dialogue, environmental protection and volunteerism.

Mussie Hailu believes in creating and building a culture of peace and a better world for all. To that end, he works with numerous peace-related organizations. He is the Regional Director of United Religions Initiative for Africa, Boar Chairman of Interfaith Peace-building Initiative, Representative of world Federation of United Nations Associations to the Economic Commission of Africa (ECA) and African Union (AU), Lifetime Deputy Governor of the American Biographical Research Institute, Peace Representative of the World Peace Society, Chairman of Haile Selassie Aid Ethiopia, Special Adviser to Africa for World Peace and Love Federation, Patron of United World College National committee of Ethiopia, Representative of World Citizen Association for Africa, African Diaspora Foundation Chairman for Africa, and Advisor of Center for Peace building International.

Mussie Hailu was also appointed as Ambassador at Large of The Republic of Burundi by the President of Burundi. He is the Good Will Ambassador for the Unity and Reconciliation Commission of Rwanda and Special Emissary to his Majesty King Kigeli V of Rwanda, who is currently in exile in the USA.

Finally, his is also a representative of HOPE'87, and it was through his connections with HOPE'87 that he was introduced to Tomoko Watanabe of ANT-Hiroshima.

One of his peace initiatives was a "Declaration of Peace" distributed worldwide during the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. This declaration was intended to encourage people to make a personal commitment to stand for global peace, human rights, environmental & animal protection, cooperation and international unity under the slogan:

"May Peace Prevail on Earth"

The "Golden Rule" is his motto in life. Asked, as why he uses the Golden Rule as his motto he said,

"It is my prayer. It is my wish. It is part of my life. It is the air I want to breathe and I think it is the air the world wants to breathe. As it is stated in the preamble of UNESCO, 'since war begins in the minds of men, it is in the mind of men defenses must be constructed'. The way how I see this, both peace and violence are the products of the human mind and it is from the human mind that a sense of responsibility to act and think in a peaceful manner will develop. We all need to plant a seed of peace and hope in our mind. Through the prayer of ‘May Peace Prevail on earth’ and practicing Golden Rule. If we do this then we can overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, hatred with love, anger with tolerance, war with peace and revenge with forgiveness".

Mussie Hailu was one of the panelists at a conference of the Interreligious and International Federation For World Peace organized at the UN headquarters in New York along with Dan Quayle, Lech Walesa and many others. Mussie Hailu spoke about "The Empowerment of Youth through Character Education" in his capacity as regional liaison office of the World Peace Society.

Regarding the importance of dialogue among civilized nations, he said,

"As we are living together on this planet earth, no matter what place, situation, or circumstance each of us may find ourselves as individuals, our existence has a special meaning. Each of us has a special role to play throughout our daily lives.

"Differences of Color and place of birth are trivial things. What is important is that we recognize ourselves as a citizen of the world. One of the most important missions for humanity at this stage must be to bring people together as one with the shared goal of creating a peaceful world for all to live in. We need to develop a conscience that transcends all differences among nations, ethnic groups, races and religious beliefs and opinions through dialogue. It is my deepest believe that dialogue will give birth to a great wave of human energy directed towards world peace, development and unity in this century."

He also emphasized on the need for a culture of peace as it is a question of value, attitude, individual and collective behaviours, which gives rise to and incarnate the spirit of peace. He recommends a Peace education and peace-culture programme to be integrated in the school system, in order to indoctrinate the younger generation in the spirit of peace.

He pioneered a number of goodwill initiatives in Africa including the Council of Former African Heads of States for Peace, Reconciliation and Development, the aim of which was to fully and constructively engage former heads of state of Africa so that they can share their rich experience in the pursuit of peace, development and reconciliation across the continent and to inspire peaceful leadership transitions in Africa. He was also the prime mover behind the peace monument, which is erected at the headquarters of the Organization of African Unity.

For his achievements and services in many areas, he has also received numerous awards, medals, certificates of merit from numerous organizations including the United Nations.

We at ANT-Hiroshima are glad to have someone so well connected and dynamic in the pursuit of peace as our representative in Africa.

Thank you for helping us to raise our profile in Africa, Mussie-san!

Ant-Hiroshima