Hiroshima Survivors Win Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2024 has been awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese group of atomic bomb survivors known as hibakusha.

The group has been recognized for their tireless efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons from the world.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised the hibakusha for their “significant contributions to the establishment of the nuclear taboo.” Committee Chair Joergen Watne Frydnes emphasized the group’s use of witness testimony to ensure that the horrors of nuclear war are never repeated.

Founded in 1956, Nihon Hidankyo has sent survivors around the globe to share their harrowing experiences of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Their work has been instrumental in raising awareness of the devastating consequences of nuclear weapons.

The group has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize numerous times in the past, including in 2005 when they received a special mention from the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial building stands as a stark reminder of the destruction caused by the atomic bomb on August 6, 1945. The bombing killed approximately 140,000 people. Three days later, a second nuclear weapon was dropped on Nagasaki, leading to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II.

Toshiyuki Mimaki, the co-head of Nihon Hidankyo, expressed his deep emotion and disbelief upon hearing the news of the Nobel Prize award. He criticized the notion that nuclear weapons can bring peace, warning of the potential for their use by terrorists.

The Nobel Peace Prize, which includes a diploma, a gold medal, and a sum of $1 million, will be presented at a ceremony in Oslo in December.

The decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo has garnered widespread support and has shifted global attention towards the pressing threat of nuclear conflict. The group’s recognition highlights the importance of their work in promoting peace and disarmament.