Hiroshima, 80 years later: Peace cannot be built with nuclear weapons.
120 nations will be represented in Hiroshima on Wednesday, August 6, to mark the 80th anniversary of that dawn in 1945 when the U.S. Air Force dropped the atomic bomb "Little Boy," killing over 140,000 people and destroying 70% of the city. Three days later, the Americans dropped another bomb on Nagasaki, killing at least 74,000 people, almost exclusively civilians.
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui said that "as the first city to experience nuclear devastation, we intend to share the 'spirit of Hiroshima' and promote greater awareness of peace, starting with basic knowledge, among young people." The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize went to Nihon Hidankyo, an organization of "hibakusha," or survivors of the atomic bombings.
"On the day when the world remembers with pain and shame the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, we reiterate our forceful appeal to the Italian Parliament and Government: ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and take a clear stand against the mad arms race underway in our time. […] This is the time for responsibility. This is the time to say never again Hiroshima, never again nuclear weapons ": so write in a joint appeal Giuseppe Notarstefano , national president of Italian Catholic Action; Emiliano Manfredonia , national president of ACLI; Matteo Fadda , president of the Pope John XXIII Community Association; Francesco Scoppola and Roberta Vincini , national presidents of AGESCI; Cristiana Formosa and Gabriele Bardo , national leaders of the Focolare Movement Italy; and Monsignor Giovanni Ricchiuti, president of Pax Christi Italy.
On the day when the world remembers with shame the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, we relaunch the appeal to the Italian Parliament and Government: ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and take a clear position against the mad arms race underway in our time.
The Treaty entered into force on January 22, 2021. Its promoters (ICAN) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017. It represents a historic turning point in the construction of a world order based not on the deterrence of destruction, but on shared responsibility, international law, and the primacy of human life.
"Pope Francis clearly stated that not only the use, but also the possession and production of nuclear weapons is immoral. Pope Leo XIV also recently remarked that 'the prospect of a renewed arms race and the development of new weapons, including nuclear ones, the lack of consideration for the harmful effects of the ongoing climate crisis, and profound economic inequalities make the challenges of the present and future increasingly demanding.' The logic of deterrence does not guarantee peace, but perpetuates danger. It is an ancient logic, which today shows its complete inadequacy in the face of global challenges, planetary interdependencies, and the need to save humanity from ecological and nuclear destruction," the statement reads.
Italy must make a courageous and far-sighted choice: join the Transatlantic Nuclear Weapons War and stand for nuclear disarmament. The alternative is complicity, and it certainly leads to a less safe world.
Hence the appeal to Italy, which has so far not joined the Treaty, although the "Italy, Think Again" campaign, launched in 2016, has repeatedly surveyed Italian public opinion on the matter, revealing the clear will of Italians: adherence to the Treaty and the removal of currently present US nuclear warheads from their territory. "Italy must make a courageous and far-sighted choice: join the TPNW, stand for nuclear disarmament, invest in diplomacy, cooperation, and shared security. The alternative is complicity and, undoubtedly, leads to a less secure world, a future less respectful of human dignity. At a time when war is directly affecting Europe and the Middle East, with its trail of horror and destruction, ratifying the UN Treaty would send a strong message of peace and a clear invitation, also addressed to other NATO countries, to abandon the logic of nuclear deterrence."
In Italy, the "Italy, Think Again" movement—promoted by Rete Pace Disarmo and Senzatomica—continues to grow and raise awareness of the urgent need for nuclear disarmament. Over 120 local authorities have already joined the Cities' Appeal for the TPNW , promoted by ICAN. This participation demonstrates how local communities and territories are increasingly aware and active in demanding a change of direction in our country's foreign and defense policy regarding nuclear weapons.
"Today more than ever, in a world marked by environmental crises, growing inequality, and seemingly never-ending wars, forcefully affirming the intrinsic dignity of every life is a revolutionary and necessary act. This is why we are calling for a radical shift in the security paradigm: no longer based on fear and a balance of terror, but on mutual trust, cooperation, and dialogue," says Alessja Trama of the "Senzatomica" campaign. For Sergio Bassoli , Executive Coordinator of the Peace and Disarmament Network, "nuclear disarmament is an act of collective responsibility: demilitarizing international relations, starting from the pinnacle of oppression and violence represented by weapons of mass destruction, is urgent. Only by freeing ourselves from the nuclear threat can we build a world founded on cooperation, rights, justice, and lasting peace."
On the occasion of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki anniversaries (6 and 9 August) , the campaign has translated into Italian the new Ican report with all the data relating to nuclear military spending at a global level (here is the link to download it ).
In recent days, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Greenpeace, the International Peace Bureau (IPB), the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Oxfam, and 350.org have launched a global appeal calling on governments and international institutions to reaffirm their commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons (read the text here and the Italian translation here ).
In the photo, students stand outside Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park. AP Photo/Louise Delmotte
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