A HIROSHIMA survivor spoke to students at The University of Warwick as part of the ‘This is Our Age’ Peace Festival.
Kyoko Gibson was born three years after the Japanese city was destroyed, and her parents were exposed the to first atomic bomb which was dropped in 1945 and killed 140,000 people.
Kyoko was raised in the ruins of post atom bomb which was dropped in World War II.
The festival is organised in collaboration with Buddhist group Soka Gakkai International UK and took place on September 8, from 10am to 4pm at The Warwick Arts Centre.
Kyoko shared her experience and discussed the importance of peace alongside youth, academics and activists from the nuclear abolition movement.
The event aimed to inspire action around peace, sustainability and nuclear disarmament featuring activities for everyone.
The Peace Festival offered three key events aimed at students, young people and the wider community: Hiroshima Peace Day, Seeds of Hope and Action Exhibition and Peace Fayre.
Professor Vicki Squire, helped organise the event, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with SGI-UK for this event, which is a great opportunity for the promotion of peace and education.
“The lived experience of the survivors – or hibakusha – is an incredibly valuable and rare perspective, and we’re grateful that our children and young people will have the chance to hear such moving testimony about the importance of peace.”
Koichi Samuels, national youth leader from SGI-UK, added: “For the youth network within SGI-UK to collaborate with a prestigious academic partner such as University of Warwick’s Politics and International Studies department (PAIS) is a really great honour.
“The This is Our Age festival shared a powerful message of hope and inspire positive action for change in-line with the UN’s 2030 SDG agenda.”
