- On 22 November, UNITAR held a public workshop, "Building Peace, Block by Block, Minecraft and Hiroshima" in Hiroshima City as part of the training programme, "UNITAR SDGs and Digital Futures: Changemaking Through AI/Digital Storytelling."
- The public workshop provided a space to share the outcome of the training programme widely with the public and to encourage participants to reflect on and learn together about Hiroshima's history and the importance of peace through digital tools.
- It served as a unique opportunity for participants from different sectors, generations, and countries to come together in creative practice of peace learning and digital storytelling.
- In 2025, marking 80 years since the atomic bombing, UNITAR successfully concluded this commemorative programme with support from the Hiroshima Prefectural Government, the City of Hiroshima, and many partners and stakeholders.
26 November 2025, Hiroshima, Japan - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) held a public workshop, "Building Peace, Block by Block, Minecraft and Hiroshima" in Hiroshima City. This is part of the training programme, "UNITAR SDGs and Digital Futures: Changemaking Through AI/Digital Storytelling." In addition to showcasing outstanding digital stories created by training participants, young people in Hiroshima joined to explore the city's journey of reconstruction and the importance of peace through the use of digital tools.
Concluding the "SDGs and Digital Futures" Training Programme
UNITAR held an online presentation session on 15 November for the digital storytelling projects developed at the "SDGs and Digital Futures - Changemaking Through AI/Digital Storytelling" programme. Twelve participants presented their storytelling works on topics including deforestation, post-disaster recovery, marine resource conservation, peace and the legacy of Hiroshima, and global warming. Three projects were selected as outstanding works by a panel of judges that included external experts.
I will always treasure the time I spent learning with my fellow storytellers, as well as my experience in Hiroshima. I hope that the video I created will inspire others to value the ocean that connects us all.
- Keanu Dominic Cesar (Philippines), programme participant and award recipient
This training programme was conducted with the support of the Hiroshima Prefectural Government and Hiroshima City, and in cooperation with the UNITAR Association, to empower young people to use AI and digital storytelling as tools for social transformation. Twenty-two young participants from Hiroshima and various parts of Asia joined the online training, which began in June 2025, and 13 participants gathered in Hiroshima in August for the in-person programme to deepen their learning. The programme reached a conclusion with the final presentation session.
Learning Peace with Digital Tools
On 22 November, UNITAR hosted the public workshop "Building Peace, Block by Block: Minecraft and Hiroshima" in Hiroshima City, providing a space to share the outcome of the training programme widely with the public and to encourage participants to reflect on and learn together about Hiroshima's history and the importance of peace through digital tools. Young people from Hiroshima also took part in the event.
The event was organized with the support of the Hiroshima Prefectural Government and the City of Hiroshima, and in cooperation with the UNITAR Association and Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd.
In the first half of the event, participants presented the digital stories they had created during the training, followed by remarks from Mr. Shigeki Sasaki, Chair of the Board of Directors of the UNITAR Association.
The three digital stories presented were:
- A video story created with AI that tells the story of the participant's great-grandmother, a hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor);
- A video story highlighting the situation of fishers in the Philippines and the marine environmental challenges they face; and
- An interactive application that allows users to compare Hiroshima immediately after the atomic bombing with the city as it is today.
This was followed by a keynote lecture from Professor Hidenori Watanave of The University of Tokyo, and a testimony delivered by hibakusha, Ms. Koko Kondo.
In the second half of the event, participants joined an interactive workshop facilitated by Mr. Takashi Doi, Representative Director of the Digital Monozukuri Council. Using Minecraft Education Edition, participants worked in groups to recreate the cityscape of Hiroshima before the atomic bombing. High school participants shared that this hands-on workshop was very different from the peace education they had received in primary, junior high, and high school, and that it offered a valuable opportunity to gain new perspectives and a renewed understanding of Hiroshima.
My peace education until now has mainly involved listening to survivors' testimonies or looking at photographs. Reconstructing what Hiroshima looked like before the bombing was completely new to me. I had rarely imagined the peaceful city that existed before the bombing, so this was a very meaningful experience.
-High school participant, Hiroshima
It's easy to lose focus during lecture-based learning, but when you are creating something during the learning, such as using Minecraft, you can engage more and reflect more deeply on peace. I felt it was a very effective approach to peace education.
-High school participant, Hiroshima
The workshop served as a unique opportunity for participants from different sectors, generations, and countries to come together in the creative practice of peace learning and digital storytelling.
In 2025, marking 80 years since the atomic bombing, UNITAR successfully concluded this commemorative programme with support from the Hiroshima Prefectural Government, the City of Hiroshima, and many partners and stakeholders. The creativity and digital storytelling skills fostered among young participants are expected to continue spreading throughout society and contribute to building a peaceful and inclusive future.
UNITAR extends its sincere appreciation to all partners and stakeholders who supported this initiative and will continue working toward sustainable development for all.
