Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Study Courses

１　Purpose

To logically analyze and organize the meaning of the experiences and messages of the hibakusha (A-bomb victims and survivors) especially the meaning of the message “I want no one else to suffer the way I did” and to convey this meaning to younger generations in the form of universally applicable academic subjects in major universities or colleges around the world. By learning in various academic disciplines including humanities, social science and physical science, the courses will impart to students accurate information about the power and inhumane nature of nuclear weapons as well as better understanding of the reason why the A-bomb survivors have chosen the path of reconciliation.

２　The Need for Hiroshima-Nagasaki Courses

(1) It would be most significant to understand the meaning of the experiences and messages of the hibakusha in order for us to survive through the twenty-first century. Let us introduce the three major contributions of the hibakusha that Mayor Akiba of Hiroshima referred in the Peace Declaration announced on August 6, 1999 as an explanation of this reason:

　【Three major contributions of the hibakusha 】

1	The fact that they were able to transcend the infernal pain and despair that the bombings sowed and to opt for life. The will and courage that made it possible for the hibakusha to choose life and continue to be human under circumstances in which none would have blamed them had they chosen death. details
2	Their effective prevention of a third use of nuclear weapons. Their determination to tell their story to the world, to argue eloquently that to use nuclear weapons is to doom the human race, and to show the use of nuclear weapons to be the ultimate evil has helped to prevent a third use thus far. details
3	Their embodiment of the new worldview engraved on the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims and articulated in the Japanese Constitution. details

So far, it has been A-bomb survivors who had directly conveyed the meaning, since the words and gestures and the very presence of a survivor has been so powerful and extremely effective in conveying the tragedy of the bombings. Therefore, we have relied too heavily on our survivors, sending them to classes, meetings, exhibitions, conferences and symposia.

However, now that their average age is already over 70, we realize that we will not be able to rely on them much longer. Therefore, it is time for us to organize the meaning and significance of their message and the tragic facts of the atomic bombings without the A-bomb survivors.

(2) To understand the necessity of the Hiroshima Nagasaki Courses from a different aspect, let us compare the difference in recognition of the experiences between the Holocaust and the A-bomb bombings. The Jewish experience, especially the holocaust, has a prominent position in academia. It has been studied formally and taught to succeeding generations in numerous college courses as an important human experience or legacy.

The experiences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, however, are barely mentioned in most academic systems. Few colleges or universities have any courses at all that convey this experience to our young. While the evil of holocaust has been shared globally as a common recognition, the evil of nuclear weapons has not been shared. In other word, the experience in Hiroshima and Nagasaki has never achieved comparable recognition to the holocaust. Therefore it would be necessary to promote this course to make younger generation to recognize what was resulted by the use of A-bombing and its effect on human family.

３　Outline of the Hiroshima Nagasaki Peace Study Courses

　　　For details, please visit to “Basic Concepts and Content”

４　The current status of Hiroshima-Nagasaki Courses

(1)　Universities that have established such courses and syllabuses

　　Overseas

　　a)　Bowling Green State University(U.S.A)

　　　　Hiroshima and Beyond, August 2006

　　b)　Minnesota State University Moorhead (U.S.A.)

　　　　"Peace Studies Tour in Hiroshima" established in March 2006　
　　　　
　　　　('08(PDF) '06(PDF) '06 report)

　　c)　DePaul University(U.S.A)

　　　　"Moral Issues Across Cultures / The Atom Bomb Discourse"
　　　　established in May 2006('06(PDF) 　

　　　　 "Short-Term Study Abroad Program" established in May 2005
　　　　　('07(PDF '07 impression by students(PDF)　 '05)

　　　　 "JPN342: The Asia-Pacific War & Japanese" (PDF)

　　d)　Technische Fachhochschule Berlin/Germany-University of Applied Science(Germany)

　　　　“Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace-Study Courses”established in April 2004('06 '05 '04)
　
　　e)　MIT(U.S.A.)

　　　　“American Science: Ethical Conflicts and Political Choices”('07)

　　f)　University of Hawaii, Manoa

　　　　 Peace and Conflict Resolution: HIROSHIMA and PEACE

　　　　(This course is offered as HIROSHIMA and PEACE at Hiroshima City University)
　
　　　　“Intensive Summer Course: Hiroshima and Peace”

　　g)　Tufts University (U.S.A.)　

　　　　“Cultural Legacies of the Atomic-Bomb”

　　h)　American University (U.S.A.)

　　　　“Study Abroad: Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Beyond”('02)

　　i)　Illinois Wesleyan University(U.S.A.)

　　　　"Hiroshima and Nagasaki for Physics Teachers" (See related article)('02)　　

　　j)　Central Connecticut State University(U.S.A)

　　　　“Hiroshima: American and Japanese Perspectives” ('04 '03 '02)

　　　　“Peace & Culture Studies in Japan”established in June 2007

　　k)　University of Chicago(U.S.A.)　

　　　　"Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Beyond"('04(PDF))

　　ｌ）　Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey(U.S.A.)　

　　　"Japanese Literature and the Atomic Bomb"　('08 '07(PDF) '06)

　　Japan

　a)　Toyama University

　　　 "Peace Research"" established in Octorber 2007

　b)　Kanazawa University

　　　　"Peace Research"" established in Octorber 2007　

　c)　Tokyo University

　　　 "Peacebuilding Study"" established in April 2007

　d)　Daito Bunka University

　　　　"Peace Studies" established in April 2007

　e)　Kagoshima University

　　　 "Peace Research - The Chair of Hiroshima & Nagasaki -" established in September 2006

　 f)　Kyoto University of Foreign Studies

　　　　"Language and Peace Ⅰ" established in April 2006

　　g)　Meiji Gakuin University
　　
　　　　 “Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace-Study Courses”established in October 2004

　　h)　Kansei Gakuin University

　　　　“Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace-Study Course”established in April 2004('04)

　　i)　Nagasaki University　

　　　　“Peace-Study Courses”established in April 2004　

　　j)　Hiroshima University

　　　　“Hiroshima Studies” established in October 2003 ('03)

　　k)　International Christian University

　　　　“Hiroshima Nagasaki Seminar” conducted field trip in Hiroshima, April 2003
　　　　　('06 '05 '04 '03)

　　　　“Peace-Studies”

　　l) 　Waseda University

“What is the ‘Peace’ in the 21^st Century World?” -Lecture series collaborate with Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities- established in April 2003 ('03)

　　m)　Hiroshima City University

　　　　“Peace and Human Rights ” established in October 2002 ('04 '02)

　　　　“Intensive Summer Course: HIROSHIMA and PEACE” established in July 2003
　　　　 ('06 '05 '04 '03 )

　　　　“Hiroshima Logic” established in October 2005

　　n)　Hiroshima Shudo University

　　o)　Hiroshima University of Economics

　　p)　Mie University

　　q)　Ritsumeikan University

　　r)　Kyushu University

(2)　Universities planning or considering the establishment of such courses

　　Overseas

　　a)　Ecole d'Estudes Politique de Paris (France)

　　　　　To be considered

　　b)　Alice-Salomon-Fachhochschule fur Sozialarbeit und Sozialpadagogik(Germany)

　　　　 To be considered 　

　　

５　Assistance for the universities establishing such courses

We can support the universities that are establishing the Hiroshima Nagasaki Courses such as providing teaching material for the first academic year of the courses. (List of Materials)

６　Contact Information

　　Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division

　　Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation

　　1-2 Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, 730-0811 Japan

　　TEL:+81-82-242-7821 FAX:+81-82-242-7452

　　E-MAIL:mayorcon@pcf.city.hiroshima.jp
　　

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