Tuesday marks 79 years since an atomic bomb destroyed the Japanese city of Hiroshima. A ceremony to remember the victims was held at the city’s Peace Memorial Park.
In attendance were Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and representatives from 109 countries, including nuclear powers, such as the United States and Britain.
An updated list of atomic bomb victims was placed inside a cenotaph at the park. It includes the names of those who survived the bombing but died over the past 12 months. The list now has over 340,000 names.
Hiroshima fell silent at 8:15 a.m., the exact time the bomb was dropped in 1945.
This year’s ceremony came alongside increased fears that nuclear weapons could be used again.
Conflicts around the world, including Russia’s prolonged invasion of Ukraine, have shaken the international order.
The path to abolishment and disarmament seems increasingly far away.
Meanwhile, the average survivor is over 85 years old. Going forward, it’s increasingly hard for them to advocate for peace.
People around the world seem ready to listen. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum welcomed about 1.98 million visitors last fiscal year — a record high. The challenge will be how to convey the horrors of nuclear weapons in the years to come.