Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the war and the atomic bombings
“Assembling peace through dialogue”
Author: Kazuko Hikawa
Profile:
Vice Director and Professor at the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition of the Nagasaki University. Specializes in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Served as a Japanese diplomat in Berlin, Vienna, Washington D.C., and Baghdad. From August 2013 to December 2019, served as Special Assistant for Arms Control, Disarmament, and Non-Proliferation Issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Resigned from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the end of 2019 and began teaching at Osaka Jogakuin University. Since April 2021, she has been an Adjunct Fellow of the Japan Institute of International Affairs. Since April 2024, she has held his current position. Since June 2024, she has also served as Deputy Director of the Research Center for Global Risk at Nagasaki University.
To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the war and the atomic bombings, the PCU Nagasaki Council for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (PCU-NC) — a consortium comprising Nagasaki Prefecture, Nagasaki City, and Nagasaki University — will launch an international peace human resources development project through dialogue, in cooperation with BASIC.
At a time when the number of atomic bomb survivors is decreasing year on year, as is public interest in nuclear weapons, this new international human resources development project for peace aims to enhance imagination and empathy through dialogue. This will enable the next generation to build on past efforts and the “passing on of memories” initiatives that have been carried out so far.
Click here for the BASIC website: https://basicint.org/
What is BASIC?
BASIC (British American Security Information Council) is an independent, non-profit think tank based in the United Kingdom.
Our mission is to safeguard humanity and the Earth’s ecosystems from nuclear risks and other interrelated security threats across generations.
We strive to foster a global consensus on security—one rooted in multilateralism, the indivisibility of security, respect for planetary boundaries, and responsibility toward future generations.
BASIC is widely recognized for creating inclusive and empathetic dialogue spaces that help states navigate complex strategic and political differences. Since 1987, we have leveraged our extensive networks and expertise to promote effective engagement between isolated or adversarial political communities.
Approach
- Active listening: Engaging with diverse perspectives through empathy and respect
- Inclusive participation: Ensuring representation based on demographic and cognitive diversity
- Cultural sensitivity: Grounding our work in rigorous background research and nuanced cultural awareness
- Systems thinking and design: Integrating holistic approaches to complex security challenges
Core Values
Innovation: Developing and applying creative approaches to address contemporary security issues
Integrity: Upholding honesty, independence, and trust at the heart of our relationships and organizational culture
Empathy: Pursuing a genuine understanding of differing perspectives to enable sustainable solutions
Inclusivity: Promoting diversity through our culture, dialogues, and publications
Transparency: Maintaining the highest standards of openness in our goals, methods, and funding