Reina Yoshida: UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Peace Ambassador

• Reina Yoshida, a Japanese high school student, deepened her understanding of justice and peace through the 2025 UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador Programme.
• Reina described the programme as an irreplaceable experience that broadened her perspective through direct learning from peace and international law experts.
• On 6 August, she participated in the Youth Dialogue event and performed a theatrical presentation with members of the peace education track.

26 December 2025, Hiroshima, Japan - Reina Yoshida, a second-year high-school student, is shaping her path, guided by a strong sense of justice and a desire to contribute to peace. Through the 2025 UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador Programme, she deepened her understanding of peacebuilding and explored creative expression to convey lessons of history to future generations.

There are many differences in the world, such as differences in race and history. I believed that peace is built by learning about those differences, understanding them and sharing that understanding.

-Reina Yoshida, high school student and 2025 UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador

Reina has long been drawn to exploring peace and justice. Since junior high school, she has been involved with a community peace initiative that organizes learning events about the Fukuyama air raids. To pursue her interest in the Japanese legal system, Reina began independently attending university-level law lectures in her first year of high school. That year, her attention was caught by the UNITAR Youth Ambassador Programme.

The UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador Programme , run annually since 2010, trains Hiroshima high school students to deepen their understanding of global issues and the Sustainable Development Goals and strengthen their youth leadership in promoting a peaceful world. The programme is currently supported by the Hiroshima Prefectural Government and Soroptimist International Hiroshima Chuo, in cooperation with the UNITAR Association.

Reina was not selected for the 2024 programme. Undeterred, she continued to attend events hosted by UNITAR, which strengthened her desire to learn about peace and conflict resolution from a United Nations perspective. The following year, she applied again to the programme and, this time, was accepted.

Reina was among 25 students who joined the 2025 Hiroshima Youth Ambassador Programme . From June to August, the Youth Ambassadors learned about nuclear disarmament and peacebuilding, human rights and international law, the legacy of atomic bomb survivors, and peace education. They took part in a youth dialogue on 6 August , a day commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, and engaged with global leaders and atomic bombing survivors.

Among the programme's many components, the lecture on "Global Hibakusha" left a strong impression on Reina. From the lecturer who supports victims of nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands and other regions, Reina learned that radiation damage is not limited to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Recognizing that many others might also be unaware of these realities, she came to feel strongly that such experiences must be shared more widely.

This conviction led her to explore artistic expression as a means of conveying messages about peace. For the 6 August youth dialogue, Reina and her fellow participants in the peace education track created a theatrical piece centred on memories and awareness of peace.

In the play, students from the year 2025 are unexpectedly transported to 2050, into a classroom where peace is being discussed. In this future world, memories of the atomic bombings have faded, and people no longer understand the dangers of nuclear weapons. After witnessing this, the students return to the present and begin asking themselves, "What must we do to prevent such a future?"

Reina played the role of a student in 2050 who was unaware of the past. Reflecting on her opening line - "There is no need to be bound by the past" - she explained that she wanted to portray a mindset in which people distance themselves from history and avoid thinking deeply about it, while conveying the critical need to remember the past.

Peace is something we must continue to reflect on throughout our lives. I believe this is both our right and our responsibility. We must continue to reflect on it and translate that reflection into our actions.

-Reina Yoshida, high school student and 2025 UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador

Following the performance, the Youth Ambassadors presented their "Road Map to 2050", which included a proposal to make peace studies a mandatory subject within school curricula.

Reina says the UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador Programme proved to be an irreplaceable experience. Learning directly from professionals working in the field - experts in international law, preserving the testimonies of atomic bomb survivors, and peace education - and gaining firsthand insight into their work opened up new perspectives.

The opportunity for us high school students to interact with people working on the front lines was extremely meaningful. It was deeply encouraging to see that our perspectives as high school students were taken seriously.

-Reina Yoshida, high school student and 2025 UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador

Looking ahead, Reina hopes to pursue a career in the legal field in Japan while continuing to explore the intersection between peacebuilding and law. She believes that both will bring her to confront the question: "What is justice?"