Dear Friends of San Diego-WISH and Global Citizens,
As Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture, I am sending this message to all of you from Hiroshima for the 15th annual International Peace & Humanity Day organized by San Diego-WISH.
At the same time, many dozens of countries are represented at Hiroshima Peace Ceremony
today to collectively reflect on the nuclear war history and ways to establish a peaceful world without nuclear threats.
Unfortunately, our world is currently seeing stark divisions rather than cohesion. Recent events such as the ongoing wars in Europe and Middle East and some political aggressions we unfortunately have been witnessing pose a serious question to humanity.
Are we going to keep fighting over who is right and who is wrong, strongly adhering to one’s own perspective and values only based on hatred and resentment?
Or are we going to try to understand where the other person, party, or entity is coming from even if we don’t always agree with one another and try our very best to find a way to collaborate or at least co-exist based on the mutual respect and compassion as human beings?
What would the former approach lead us to? We all know the answer.
This is exactly why it’s crucial to work with young generations beyond borders just like San Diego-WISH has been doing to send messages for peace out to the world through International Peace & Humanity Day events.
I commend and thank San Diego-WISH and its global audience for joining me and all that are present at Hiroshima Peace Ceremony for the shared vision and tireless efforts for the peaceful future.
Hidehiko Yuzaki
Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture.
