Visit to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal On the Occasion of the Gautam Buddha International Peace Award Ceremony

June 2011 [Lumbini, Nepal]

Tomihisa Taue, Mayor of Nagasaki
I visited the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal from May 15 to 20, at the invitation of the 1st Gautam Buddha International Peace Award Ceremony

On May 17, I attended the 1st Gautam Buddha International Peace Award Ceremony in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha. The award ceremony was held on Buddha’s birthday, and despite the heat, attracted a large crowd to Lumbini Park. With about 1,000 in attendance, President Ram Baran Yadav conferred the award medal upon myself and former Mayor of Hiroshima, Dr. Tadatoshi Akiba.

This Peace Award recognizes and honors individuals and institutions around the world that have made significant contributions to peace and non-violence. This award was conferred upon us for playing a leading role in making the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference a success, and for making a large contribution to realizing a world without nuclear weapons. I am very honored to have received this recognition for the concerted efforts among the citizens of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, led by the hibakusha.

At the ceremony, I was given the opportunity to deliver an acceptance speech in which I expressed my gratitude to have been chosen as one of the first recipients for this Award, and stressed how important it was for us to cooperate with the people of the world, and the nuclear weapon problem was one shared by all of mankind.

On May 18, the following day, the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Photo Panel Exhibition was held at the Memorial Hall of the Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu with 20 photo panels from Nagasaki and Hiroshima put on exhibition. At the opening ceremony, I expressed my hope that this Atomic Bomb Exhibition would be an opportunity for many visitors to deepen their understanding of the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons and asked them to work with us to abolish nuclear weapons.

I believe that Mr. Toyoichi Ihara, the Chairman of the Nagasaki Prefecture Atomic Bomb Survivors Health Book Holders, gave a very impressive account as he shared his own experience as an atomic bomb survivor and stressed that Nagasaki remain as the “last atomic bombed city.”

So far, the exhibition has drown in more than 500 visitors, including Tribhuvan University students and faculty, members of the general public and guests of honor from the opening ceremony, such as Education Minister Mr. Gangalal Tuladhar, the Vice Chancellor of Tribhuvan University, Mr. Tatsuo Mizuno, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal.

After the opening ceremony for the exhibition, we made a courtesy call on the President of Nepal and expressed our gratitude for the award. We then paid a good will visit to the Minister for Culture and Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal.

In the evening, we were invited to attend a reception hosted by the Prime Minister at the Hanuman Dhoka Palace, the former royal palace, and made conversation many of the guests including Cabinet ministers, government officials and diplomatic missions.

Aside from these, an exchange meeting was organized with professors and students of Tribhuvan University and media journalists, where we exchanged candid opinions.

This concludes my report from our recent visit to Nepal. During this visit, we learned of the Nepalese government’s extraordinary attention to peace through their efforts in creating the Peace Award, the grand Award Ceremony and discussion with government leaders including the President and the Prime Minister. Also, through the Atomic Bomb Exhibition and lecture meeting, we were able to call directly for solidarity with the Nepali people toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.

I hope this visit will be a starting point in deepening exchanges for peace with the Nepali people from now on.

The 1st Gautam Buddha International Peace Award Ceremony

Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Photo Panel Exhibition
・Related article from the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) website