海外へのお手紙 2024年
Dear fellow peace-lovers
2024年「千羽鶴を海外へ送るつどい」でのお手紙
Dear fellow peace-lovers.
In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Israel's massacre in Gaza, and its threat to use nuclear weapons, voices and actions against indiscriminate slaughter and calls for a nuclear-free, peaceful, and sustainable world have spread across the world.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was the fervent wish of the atomic bomb survivors, entered into force on January 22, 2021, and the number of signatories and ratifications has increased since then, with 93 countries currently signing it and 70 countries ratifying it (as of January 16, 2024), and participation in this treaty is expanding. The Second Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons held in November 2023 was attended by 59 signatories, 35 observer countries including Germany and Norway, and 122 civil society representatives. At this conference, a political declaration was unanimously adopted, confirming the commitment to banning nuclear weapons throughout the world. To reach this point, there was a steady and steady movement from the grassroots, including signature campaigns, by atomic bomb survivors themselves and others who aspire to a peaceful world free of nuclear weapons. Peace administration promoted by local governments and the adoption of written opinions to the government also provided great support. This is a path to nuclear abolition that has been paved by civil society and governments working together.
We strongly urge the government of Japan, the only country to have suffered atomic bombings in war, to join the treaty, and we appeal to the people of countries around the world who have not participated in the brutality and inhumanity of nuclear weapons to spread sympathy for the abolition of nuclear weapons. I hope that new actions and changes will emerge that will move our own governments. We, the Ehime Prefecture Executive Committee for the National Peace March to Ban Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, are from a country that has suffered from atomic bombs, and whose constitution renounces war.
Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs , have been organising peace marches for 65 years, wishing for world peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons as a nation of atomic bomb survivors and Japanese citizens with a constitution that renounces war. This year again, the march visited all municipalities, and more than 430 people, including A-bomb survivors, marched. At the same time, we have been involved in the campaign to send 1,000 paper cranes, "Messengers of Peace", overseas, and 174,000 paper cranes have been sent this year.
A thousand folded paper cranes are a symbol of long life in Japan, where it is said that cranes live for a thousand years and turtles live for ten thousand years. In Hiroshima Peace Park there is a statue of the Children of the Atomic Bomb: Sadako Sasaki, who was exposed to the bomb at the age of two years and eight months, suffered from acute leukemia and continued to fold cranes to express her wish to live, but died at the age of 12. The folded paper cranes contain her determination not to create another Hibakusha.
This year these 1,000 paper cranes will be sent to your organisation. So far, 5,621,000 paper cranes have been sent to 97 organisations in 33 countries. We sincerely hope that these paper cranes will be useful for your grassroots anti-nuclear peace movement. We would be very grateful if you could let us know about the arrival of these 1,000 paper cranes and how your peace movement is going.
No More Hiroshima! No more Nagasaki! No more Hibakusha!
Ehime Prefecture Executive Committee of the 2024 National Peace March Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs
Masao Imai, Chairman of the Executive Committee
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平和を愛する仲間のみなさんへ
ロシアによるウクライナへの侵略、イスラエルのガザでの虐殺、そして核兵器使用の威嚇に対して、世界各地で、無差別殺戮への抗議と非核・平和、持続可能な世界を求める声と行動が広がっています。被爆者の悲願であった「核兵器禁止条約」は2021年1月22日に発効し、その後も署名・批准国は増えて、現在93カ国が署名、70カ国が批准（2024年1月16日現在）しており、この条約への参加が広がっています。2023年11月開催された核兵器禁止条約第2回締約国会議には、59の締約国と前回につづきドイツ・ノルウェーなどオブザーバー35カ国、市民社会の代表122団体が参加しました。この会議では、全会一致で採択された政治宣言で、核兵器禁止を世界に広げていくことを確認されました。ここに至るには、被爆者自身をはじめ核兵器のない平和な世界をめざす人々の、署名活動など草の根からの地道で着実な運動がありました。自治体のすすめる平和行政や政府への意見書採択も大きな力となりました。市民社会と諸国政府が力を合わせて切り開いた核廃絶への道です。
私たちは、唯一の戦争被爆国である日本政府に条約参加を強く促すとともに、参加せずにいる世界各国の人々に核兵器の残虐性、非人道性を訴えて核廃絶への共感を広げ、自国の政府を動かすような新たな行動と変化が生まれることを希望しています。
私たち原水爆禁止国民平和大行進愛媛県実行委員会は、被爆国であり、戦争放棄の憲法をもつ日本国民として、世界の平和と核兵器廃絶を願い、65年間平和行進を続けています。今年も全自治体を訪問し、被爆者をはじめ430人をこえる県民が行進しました。同時に「‟平和の使者”千羽鶴を海外へ送る運動」にとりくみ、今年も17万4千羽の折り鶴がよせられています。
千羽鶴は、日本では「鶴は千年、亀は万年」と言われ、長命の象徴です。広島平和公園には「原爆の子の像」があります。２歳８ヶ月で被爆した佐々木禎子さんは、急性白血病になり、「生きたい」という願いを込めて鶴を折り続けましたが、12歳で亡くなりました。折り鶴には、「再び被爆者をつくらない」という決意が込められています。
この千羽鶴を今年は貴団体へお送りします。これまで、世界33カ国 97団体へ、5,621,000羽を送っています。みなさんの草の根からの反核平和運動に、この折り鶴を役立てていただくことを心から希望します。この千羽鶴の到着とみなさんの平和運動の様子などお知らせいただければ幸いです。
ノ一モア・ヒロシマ！ノ一モア・ナガサキ！ノ一モア・ヒバクシャ！
実行委員長 今井 正夫
