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Learning from the Past, Creating the Future（Peace Studies Seminar）
From Monday, August 5, to Thursday, August 8, 2024, a training program was held in Hiroshima as part of the Peace Studies Seminar course. The objective of this domestic training program was to learn about the history of the Pacific War and the Atomic Bombing through fieldwork and to explore ways to contribute to peacebuilding. This year, Professor Kazushige Kobayashi coordinated the program, which included a variety of activities in Hiroshima City.
A total of 14 students, regardless of their major or nationality, participated in this program. During the field trip, we visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, attended the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony for Atomic Bomb Victims, and participated in a symposium hosted by UNITAR.
Additionally, students engaged in a discussion session with Associate Professor Toshihiro Higuchi of Georgetown University. Through these experiences, the students were reminded of the threat posed by nuclear weapons and deepened their understanding of peace.
Moreover, through interactions with UNITAR staff, the program provided a valuable opportunity for students to gain firsthand experience in the field of peacebuilding activities within international organizations and to reflect on their future careers after graduation. The symposium, which focused on the theme "The Road to a World Without Nuclear Weapons: Connecting Hiroshima and the Youth of the World," offered participants a chance to think seriously about future international security.
At the Lantern Floating Ceremony for the Atomic Bomb victims, all participants prayed for a peaceful future and vowed that such a tragedy would never be repeated.