We send our warmest congratulations!
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization representing survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, known as Hibakusha. We offer our enthusiastic congratulations.
Quotes from the citation
The Norwegian Nobel Committee said in its citation the group was receiving the Peace Prize for “its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again”.
“The hibakusha help us to describe the indescribable, to think the unthinkable, and to somehow grasp the incomprehensible pain and suffering caused by nuclear weapons,” the committee said.
Nihon Hidankyo is the winner of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize
Hiroshima Day Committee Media Release
Media Release
13/10/2024
Congratulations to Nihon Hidankyo
The Sydney Hiroshima Day Committee which has been commemorating the atrocious bombing of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki for over 60 years in this city congratulates the Nihon Hidankyo group of Japan. This grassroots movement of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki who are also known as Hibakusha, have won the Nobel Peace Prize for this year.
The Hibakusha motto of there never being another use of atomic or nuclear weapons has been accepted by our committee since its inception, Hiroshima/Nagasaki never again’.
The Hibakusha have spread their message all over the world, working for peace and harmony between all the people of the world. Each year in Hiroshima and Nagasaki the victims of this terrible bombing are commemorated.
This year Mayor of Nagasaki invited all the ambassadors who presently reside in Japan to his city to remember the victims of the 1945 bombing by the USA but he expressly forbad the Russian, the Belarusian and Israeli ambassadors on the grounds that these countries were currently prosecuting wars in their countries or with their neighbours. The G7 countries boycotted the service claiming Israel had been victimized and apparently Australia joined in with them only sending a junior official of the Australian Embassy in Tokyo.
“We have sought an explanation from the Foreign Minister for this grievous slight of the people of Nagasaki and the Hibakusha of that city. So far there has been no response.” Said Denis Doherty of the Hiroshima Day Committee.
“Australia’s DFAT must feel very embarrassed now that the world’s focus is on the issue of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and its victims when just a few short weeks ago they boycotted the commemoration of Nagasaki to please the G7 countries and protect Israel.
“Israel’s vicious and indiscriminate war on civilians stands in stark contrast to the values Nihon Hidankyo who work for peace and harmony in the world.
“The grassroots movement for the prohibition of nuclear weapons is strengthened by this decision and now puts pressure on our government to sign the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of nuclear weapons (TPNW).
