Hiroshima Youth Ambassadors Challenge Nuclear Deterrence and Explore Paths to Abolition on 6 August 2026

Since April, the UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassadors expanded their understanding of the realities of the atomic bombing through conversations with atomic bomb legacy successors (Hiroshima volunteers trained to inherit and share the personal stories of first-generation hibakusha), visits to the Peace Memorial Park, and learning about the effects of nuclear testing in Algeria and the Marshall Islands. They attended expert lectures on international law and explored the root causes of current global conflicts, while questioning why nuclear weapons have not yet been eliminated.

This year’s Youth Ambassadors also met with the participants of the Youth Leader Fund for a World Without Nuclear Weapons programme (YLF) during the YLF Hiroshima and Nagasaki study visit, coordinated by the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs and UNITAR. The Youth Ambassadors joined the YLF Youth International Conference on 3 July, where they shared their messages of peace from Hiroshima. The experience exposed the Hiroshima Youth Ambassadors to international perspectives and connected them to a global network of likeminded young people.

Throughout the programme, the young people learned that peace is not simply granted, but something that must be built and protected. And through their experiences, the Youth Ambassadors concluded that true peace begins with dialogue.

We realized that building peace takes more than just remembering the history of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and nuclear testing. It requires us to understand today’s realities, including ongoing conflicts, nuclear risks, and challenges facing the international community. To move forward, we must listen to different perspectives, embrace diverse backgrounds, and engage with one another. That’s why we believe true peace begins with dialogue.” – Yuri Matsuoka, Youth Ambassador

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