The Nobel Committee has announced the winner of the 2024 Peace Prize, the Japanese organisation Nihon Hidankyo, which consists of survivors of the horrific atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The committee’s choice underlines the importance of this organisation’s efforts to fight for a world without nuclear weapons and reminds humanity of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear war.
In a statement, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said: “In awarding the prize to Nihon Hidankyo, we honour their contribution to breaking the taboo on the use of nuclear weapons, which have not been used in war for almost 80 years. However, we see worrying signs: nuclear powers are modernising their arsenals and new countries are preparing to acquire these weapons. The world needs to be reminded of the destructive power of nuclear arsenals.”
This award is symbolically timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the tragedies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, when two US atomic bombs killed about 120,000 people. Thousands more died later due to radiation exposure and severe burns.
Hibakush’s voice: fighting for peace through pain and testimony
Nihon Hidankyo, founded in 1956, brings together survivors of atomic attacks and nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific. Its mission is to show the world that nuclear weapons cannot be used and to call for their total elimination. The Nobel Committee noted the important role of the hibakusha (as survivors of atomic bombings are called) in the international peacekeeping movement: “Despite their own physical and emotional trauma, they have used their terrible experiences to spread hope and work for peace.”
The threat of nuclear escalation and the struggle for a future without weapons of mass destruction
Today’s geopolitical situation reminds the world of the threat of nuclear escalation, when nuclear powers are actively modernising their arsenals and new countries are seeking to acquire these deadly weapons. In this context, the efforts of Nihon Hidankyo are particularly important. Their testimonies enable humanity to understand the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons, telling of pain and suffering that cannot be forgotten.
Last year, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi for her fight for women’s rights in Iran.
