On July 15, the delegation from Hiroshima Prefecture, led by Governor Mr. YUZAKI Hidehiko, visited ISTC to discuss efforts towards a world without nuclear weapons and nuclear non-proliferation initiatives. Hiroshima, as the first place to suffer from an atomic bombing, has been at the forefront of peace and reconstruction efforts. Mr. YUZAKI introduced the approaches initiated by HOPe (Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace), an NGO aimed at engaging various stakeholders, including civil society, to advocate for peace worldwide. These approaches include promoting human communication and interactions to educate policymakers and youth about the history and reality of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, researching security policies as alternatives to nuclear deterrence, and advocating for nuclear abolition in the post-SDGs agenda.

Karina Anguelieva, Executive Director of ISTC, commended Hiroshima's peace efforts and its impactful message to the world. Ms. Anguelieva shared information on ISTC's work in non-proliferation, nuclear security, nuclear forensics, and export control in targeted regions since its establishment. This initial meeting marked the beginning of exploring potential areas of collaboration between the two parties, including the possibility of ISTC contributing to the Hiroshima Report, which evaluates nations' performance in nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, and security.

The purpose of Hiroshima Prefecture's official visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan is to strengthen relations with the Kazakh government in support of efforts to abolish nuclear weapons, including gathering information through a visit to the former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.

If interested, for your information you can see a publication of the Hiroshima Report 2025: Evaluation of Achievement in Nuclear Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Security in 2024 on the link below: New Publication: Hiroshima Report 2025 - 80th Remembrance of Hiroshima Special Website | Hiroshima Prefectural Office