April 13, 2021
Masako Toki
The following was originally published at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
As in past years, speakers at this year’s peace memorial ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki remembered atomic bomb victims and pledged to work for world peace. One difference this year and last, however, was that the ceremonies took place amidst the coronavirus global pandemic, including a surge in the delta variant that amplified fear and concern this year. Even in a pandemic, individuals in Hiroshima and Nagasaki labor to remind the world that nuclear weapons remain an existential threat to humanity.
Education is a powerful tool for making progress toward a nuclear-weapon-free world. To this end, I am organizing the Critical Issues Forum—a disarmament and nonproliferation education program for high school students in the United States, Russia, and Japan—at the Middlebury Institute in Monterey. By fostering an appreciation for different cultural perspectives on complex international security issues, this program empowers students to grow into individuals who can contribute to international peace, security, disarmament, and other social justice work.
Continue reading at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
