Hiroshima bombing survivors’ group bags Nobel Peace Prize.
Japan’s Nihon Hidankyo, a group comprising atomic bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.
Chairing the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Jorgen Watne Frydnes said the honor recognizes the organization’s work in advocating global nuclear disarmament through victims’ testimonies.
It aims to commemorate the upcoming 80th anniversary of the US attacks, which killed an estimated 120,000 people instantly.
An ecstatic but emotional Tomoyuki Mimaki of Nihon Hidankyo received the news in Hiroshima, saying it would significantly boost abolition efforts.
Frydnes warned of rising nuclear threats amid modernization but praised the group’s role in cultivating hope.
Given declining survivors, their role in disseminating the horrors of atomic weapons is invaluable, noted Mayor Kazumi Matsui.
UN chief Antonio Guterres also lauded their “relentless” efforts at the core of disarmament movements. Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba welcomed the win, calling it meaningful. Ursula von der Leyen stated it sends a powerful non-proliferation message.
The prize recognizes Nihon Hidankyo’s grassroots endeavors to actualize a nuclear-free world order through its poignant narratives.
