Hiroshima, Japan - On Friday, 6 August 2021, UNITAR, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), Hiroshima Prefecture, and the Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace (HOPe), will host a free, public seminar on promoting the abolition of nuclear weapons. The public is invited to join. Please register at https://unitar-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kPyii3huSneBU_-RPQ7ZmA.
The seminar will comprise of:
- 2:00 - 3:00 pm JST: Plenary Session
- 4:00 - 5:00 pm JST: Session on Partnership with the Private Sector
- 5:00 - 5:30 pm JST: Dialogue Session between UNITAR Director of Division for Prosperity and UNITAR Goodwill Ambassador
- 6:00 - 8:00 pm JST: Session on the Youth Initiative
Plenary Session
The plenary session will introduce the Hiroshima Initiatives, which are a call to global action to eliminate nuclear weapons. The Initiatives seek to create a platform for collaboration to promote nuclear disarmament and alternative security systems that do not rely on nuclear weapons, and to strengthen global norms and UN consensus to reject nuclear weapons.
Panellists who will be invited to brainstorm possible approaches to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons include:
- Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament
- Mr. Hidehiko Yuzaki, Governer of Hiroshima Prefecture
- Dr. Patricia Lewis, Director of International Security Programme at Chatham House
United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UNITAR Executive Directory Mr. Nikhil Seth will moderate the session.
Session on Partnership with the Private Sector
The "Partnership with the Private Sector" session will focus on the initiatives of various companies contributing to disarmament. The session will touch upon topics such as cybersecurity, the role of media, and advocacy to encourage consumer engagement.
Panelists include speakers from:
- Ms. Kaja Ciglic, Senior Director, Digital Diplomacy, Digital Peace initiative, Microsoft
- Ms. Chitose Arai, Vice- Chairperson, CO-OP (Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union)
- Mr. Yukito Minowa, CEO, TSS-TV Co., Ltd
The session will be moderated by Ms. Kumamoto, Director of UNITAR Division for Prosperity.
Session on the Youth Initiative
The third and final session on "Youth Initiative" aims to equip youth will an understanding of nuclear disarmament. This session will be divided into two parts:
Part one:
- Mr. Dai Tamesue, UNITAR Goodwill Ambassador
- Mr. Kazuma Sugano, UNITAR Trainee
- Ms. Riko Akai, UNITAR Trainee
Part two:
- Youth4Disarmament
- Hiroshima/Nagasaki Peace Messengers
- SDGs-SWY
- 50cm.
In these sessions, each stakeholder will discuss how they can contribute and how they can work towards a sustainable future by considering ways they can promote the Hiroshima Initiatives within their spheres of influence. The Hiroshima Initiatives are a call to global action to eliminate nuclear weapons by promoting nuclear disarmament and alternative security systems that do not rely on nuclear weapons, as well as strengthening global norms and UN consensus around the rejection of nuclear weapons by creating a platform for collaboration. Ultimately, this seminar seeks to introduce participants to the current discourse around nuclear abolition as well as various unique perspectives on the issue to promote cooperation among the stakeholders towards the common goal.
