President visited Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany to attend the meeting of the Board of Directors of the 2020 Vision Campaign Association and asked the Prime minister of Belgium for further support for the activities of Mayors for Peace

November 2008

The Meeting of the Board of Directors of the 2020 Vision Campaign Association was held in Ypres, Belgium, and the Strategic Plan for our future activities and other related issues were discussed.

Mayor Akiba of Hiroshima, President of Mayors for Peace, took this opportunity to visit some member cities in Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg. He attended various meetings on peace in each city, met representatives of national governments and NGOs, and asked them for further support for the activities of Mayors for Peace, in promoting efforts to the abolition of nuclear weapons by the year 2020.

Sunday, November 9

Mayor Akiba delivered a speech at a meeting of mayors in Luxembourg, held at the City Hall (Hotel de Ville), Luxembourg. In his speech, he introduced the activities of Mayors for Peace and asked their support for our 2020 Vision Campaign.

Sunday, November 9

At the opening ceremony of the Wallonia Regional Office of Mayors for Peace, established in Bastogne, the Southern part of Belgium, the president of Mayors for Peace received a Cities Appeal from the Mayor of Bastogne.
(Photo Credit should read JIJI PRESS Co.)

Monday, November 10

At the General and the Board meetings of 2020 Vision Campaign Association, our future plans for activities were discussed and it was also introduced that the 2008 Sean MacBride Peace Prize would be given to our North American coordinator Ms. Jaqueline Cabasso, by IPB.
(Photo Credit should read JIJI PRESS Co.)

Monday, November 10

At the Commemoration of 90th anniversary of the End of the First World War held at the Flemish Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, President Akiba introduced activities of Mayors for Peace including the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol and asked for support for participants.

Tuesday, November 11

President Akiba met with H.E. Mr. Yves Leterme, Prime Minister of Belgium, outlined the activities of Mayors for Peace including the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol and the Cities Are Not Targets (CANT) Project and asked for his support. The Prime Minister responded positively for it.

Tuesday, November 11

To commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Armistice of the First World War, on November 11, 2008, President Akiba attended the memorial events held in Ypres, Belgium and offered flowers. In conjunction with this, he also delivered a speech at the Academic session in the Royal Hall of Cloth Hall in front of an audience of about 150 including ambassadors and other participants. The Awards ceremony for the Ieper Peace Prize was also held on the Armistice day.

Wednesday, November 12

The president met with the mayor of Ghent, Belgium, reported the current activities of Mayors for Peace, and asked for his further support. He also attended the ceremony and reception for the planting of first trees of the Ghent Peace Forest, commemorating the Armistice and established as a symbol for lasting peace.

Wednesday, November 12

President Akiba spoke at the international conference entitled ” Perspectives on Nuclear Disarmament 2010-2020″, held at the City Hall of Brussels. He stressed importance for mayors to take actions, since they are responsible for safety and security of their citizens, and are able to act closely with their citizens. He also asked participants to support the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol and the CANT Project.

Wednesday, November 12

At the Belgian National Conference of Mayors for Peace, aside from the speech by the president on the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol and the role of Belgian cities, representatives of Belgian member cities reported their own activities.

Thursday, November 13

President Akiba met with Mr. Patrick Doering of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), a German Member of Bundestag. The president outlined activities of Mayors for Peace, and asked his support for the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol.

Friday, November 14

At the meeting with Mr. Walter Kolbow, Vice Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) of Germany, and Ms. Uta Zapf, Chair of the Sub-committee for Nuclear Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation of the German Bundestag, and who also serves as Co-President of PNND (Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament) Network, President Akiba asked for their support for the activities of Mayors for Peace toward the 2010 NPT Review Conference.

Friday, November 14

Met with Mr. Walter Momper, President of the Berlin Parliament and asked for his support for our activities. Mr. Momper was the former Mayor of Berlin and visited Hiroshima during his term. Mr. Momper expressed his support for the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol and his expectation for progress in disarmament worldwide, taking into consideration the inauguration of the US President elect Obama.

Friday, November 14

At the Mayors for Peace German Annual Meeting held at the Berlin State Parliament, the president expressed his appreciation for German member cities’ sincere efforts. Germany has the second largest membership of Mayors for Peace, next to Belgium. He asked for their further cooperation in the efforts toward the abolition of nuclear weapons and the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol.

Friday, November 14

Met with H.E. Mr. Klaus-Peter Gottward, Ambassador, Federal Government Commissioner for Disarmament and Arms Control, Federal Foreign Office, and outlined our activities, including the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Protocol. The Ambassador expressed his concern with the current status on nuclear weapons, and his support and expectations for the activities of Mayors for Peace.