2001 World Conference against A & H Bombs - Nagasaki held with 6,500 people attending

The World Conference against A & H Bombs - Nagasaki was held from
August 7 to 9. The opening plenary at the Nagasaki Prefectural Gymnasium
was attended by some 6,500 people.

At the closing plenary on August 9, the World conference adopted a letter
to the U.N. and the governments of all countries, requesting that the U.N.
General Assembly adopt a resolution to urge the nations concerned to begin
negotiations.

The World Conference also adopted the "Nagasaki Resolution" which appeals
for a new wave of anti-nuclear peace movements rising from the grass roots.
Among the participants were a number of government representatives.

Governments represented

The ambassadors of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe to Japan made speeches. The
ambassador of South Africa read out the message from South African President
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki.

Malaysian Ambassador to the U.N. Datuk Hasmy Agam in his speech requested
that Japan's NGOs play a leading role in the international movement for the
elimination of nuclear weapons.

Anzai Ikuro, World Conference Drafting Committee chairperson, in the
report on behalf of the World Conference organizers called on the
participants to start a worldwide movement to push the nuclear weapons
states into opening negotiations for a treaty for the elimination of and a
total ban on nuclear weapons. (end)