Key Points
- A youth-led UN conference will be held in Hiroshima, Japan, to advocate for a world without nuclear weapons.
- There are still an estimated 12,500 nuclear weapons in existence today.
- Youths play a critical role in nuclear disarmament, says the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA).
The wrecked framework of the Museum of Science and Industry in Hiroshima as it appeared shortly after the blast in 1945. Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
“Nuclear weapons are an existential threat to society,” Simon Liu, a 24-year-old humanitarian consultant from Sydney, told SBS Japanese.
Liu is one of 50 young people — and the sole representative from Australia — selected by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) to lead an upcoming UN conference in Hiroshima advocating for nuclear disarmament.
Simon Liu, 24, is a humanitarian consultant from Sydney. Credit: Simon Liu
The youth-led conference is part of the “Youth Leader Fund (YLF) for a World Without Nuclear Weapons” initiative, coordinated by the UNODA and funded by the government of Japan.
The program was announced in 2022 by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who vowed to keep Nagasaki as the last place on earth to suffer an atomic bombing.
Younger generations play a critical role
This is a vision Liu shares.
This platform is an inspiration for the youth around the world to believe in themselves, to pick a stance in what they believe in, and create a positive change in the world.
Simon Liu
In light of the escalating geopolitical tensions in Ukraine and Gaza, “nuclear disarmament efforts are more important than before”, the UNODA spokesperson added.
Understanding the true history
“It was one-sided perspective and very brief,” she said.
Simon Liu (left) and Risa Pieters will attend the Youth Leader Conference on Nuclear Disarmament. Credit: Risa Pieters
“I remember bringing that content home, and asking my (Japanese) mum about it, and her telling me all these stories that were completely different from what I was hearing.”
“Seeing the fanfare around the movie Oppenheimer, and that not including the victim’s voices either … I feel like it’s urgent that we continue to work with hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) and bring those stories to as many audiences as possible,” she said.
It’s critical that we all understand our shared history and that we’re doing everything in our power to work together to not repeat it.
Risa Pieters
Liu added, “That collective and generational trauma is something that I really wish to use this platform of the United Nations to share with the world and do more about it.”
Declare action
“Declaration is actually worded as declarACTION,” Liu said.
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) in Hiroshima, Japan. Source: Anadolu / David Mareuil via Getty Images
He emphasised that the conference is all about encouraging continued commitment.
The inaugural Youth Leader Conference on Nuclear Disarmament will be held on 30 August, 9:15-11am UTC+9 and will be live streamed.
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