International Peace Culture Forum
Project Protocol for the International Peace Culture Forum
“A New Approach to Peace”
It goes without saying that our world today is being confronted by some major crises such as the proliferation of nuclear weapons, escalating ethnic and religious conflicts, aggravation of the global environmental issue, and the disaster within the global economic system etc. In times such as these, the whole of humanity is more likely to be increasingly swayed by the flood of information and the mega-trends of the world. Yet despite this, it is the accumulation of the will and actions of each individual that chooses and determines the future of humanity. In this flow of time, how should we, as Japanese, be dealing with these world problems?
Although this may have already been spoken of repeatedly, it is still true that Japan remains the only nation who has suffered from nuclear attacks, and therefore, bears the moral responsibility and the ethical right to lead the international opinion towards the abolition of nuclear arms. However, the campaign for the elimination of nuclear weapons, which had once involved the whole nation of Japan but have now been reduced to the peace movements which are only carried out by small groups of people. It seems as though the majority of the Japanese citizens have become indifferent to this issue, and even if they are not, it cannot be said that the movement is being fully promoted or is able to involve the entire citizenship or even the government.
Recently (May 3 – 28) at the UN Headquarters, the NPT review conference was held. This attracted the participation of many NGO workers from all over the world, as well as the two-thousand Japanese who joined in and that included about two-hundred victims of the nuclear bombing which represented the largest number ever. They gathered in New York, and appealed powerfully for the abolition of nuclear arms. The consequence of this has partly served to bring out an approach to where a vision of a “clear agreement towards nuclear abolition” by five nuclear nations (USA, Russia, England, France and China) was reaffirmed which had been included within the final agreed document that had already been adopted by consensus, and in addition to this, a reference was made for the first time to “the anti-nuclear arms treaty”. In view of the current situation, Japan is now expected to take the leading role in seeking the realization of “a world free of nuclear weapons” whilst bringing about a close cooperation between the global community as well as working in cooperation with government and civic society.
It just so happens that Ernesto Kahan, Ph.D. (Doctor of Medicine and poet), a Nobel laureate for the 1985 peace prize as the Deputy Chairman of IPPNW (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War) and Mr. Guy Créquie, a French poet who has been passionately dedicated to the activities of the United Nations and UNESCO for peace and culture as, will be visiting Japan. They are both displaying the strong hope that Japan will take the initiative in working for world peace. In order to help this, and having taken into consideration the ardent endeavours of the citizens of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki towards nuclear abolition with the likes of the Atomic bomb survivor support program, the declaration of the city of peace, and “Mayors for Peace” which have been promoted involving all citizen’s, they are now recommending these two cities to the Nobel Committee, believing that both cities deserve the noble peace prize more than anyone else.
In taking this opportunity, we are planning to hold an international peace culture forum “A new approach to peace” by welcoming both of them whilst also inviting world renowned poets to Japan. Here we will discuss and reaffirm the mission and role of Japan in seeking world peace which includes nuclear abolition. We would like as many people as possible to join us.
The time table of the event
Date : August 2nd (Monday) 2010 from 13:30 – 17:30
Venue : the University of Tokyo, Komaba Campus. Hall 18 (Komaba-Todai-Mae
By Inogashira Line)
Host : International Peace Cultural Executive Committee
Sponsorship : Japan Foundation
Entry Fee : 1,000 Yen (general) /
Free for students
(Pre-booking is required - e-mail : poet2010forum@yahoo.co.jp) Program
Part 1: Keynote Lectures
Guy Créquie Guy Créquie (France): The messenger of millennium peace culture, the nominator of Hiroshima/Nagasaki for the award of Nobel Prize.
Ernesto Kahan Ernesto Kahan, Ph.D. (Israel) :IPPNW, a Nobel laureate for the 1985 peace prize.
The nominator of Hiroshima/Nagasaki for the award of Nobel Prize.
Hiroo Saionji Hiroo Saionji: President of Goi Peace Foundation.
Part 2: Panel Discussion
Guy Créquie, Ernesto Kahan, and Hiroo Saionji
Presentations
* Celia Altschuler (Puerto Rico, poet)
* Christophe Charles (Haiti, poet)
* Sumihiro Kuyama (guest professor of the United Nations University)
Part 3: Music and Recitation of Poems
* Mark Akixa (Indian Flut)
* Megumi Yamauchi and Rie Sasaki (Crystal Bowl)
* Guy Créquie, Ernesto Kahan, Marie Robert, Laura Munoz, Hiroshi Issiki and others
* Message from the Mayor Hiroshima
http://www.poet2010.com/#eng 
