Himari Ideno, a first-year student at the School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, was selected to join a delegation of four high school and university students, aged 17 and 18, on a visit to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This initiative, organized under the Sister Park Agreement signed in June 2023 between Hiroshima City and the State of Hawaii, also included two atomic bomb survivors. The seven-member delegation embarked on a mission to deepen their understanding of local culture and history while engaging with local youth and the families of those affected by the Pearl Harbor attack by the former Imperial Japanese military.

The delegation visited Hawaii from August 17 to August 22, 2024. Their program included lectures by atomic bomb survivors and descendants of Pearl Harbor victims, visits to schools, and opinion exchange sessions. The goal of these activities was to share the common aspiration for peace between the two nations and promote forward-looking exchanges.

Ms. Ideno was selected from 28 applicants following Hiroshima City’s open call for participants in May. Prior to her departure, she studied Hiroshima’s peace initiatives and the history of the Pacific War. She also attended the Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6. The day before her departure, Ms. Ideno met with Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui, where she expressed her commitment as a youth ambassador, stating, "As a young person born and raised in Hiroshima, I am eager to deepen mutual understanding between our communities."

At Hiroshima University, we hope that Ms. Ideno, through her interactions with people from diverse backgrounds, including atomic bomb survivors and international participants, will reflect deeply on the importance of peace and aspire to become an "internationally minded individual dedicated to the pursuit and promotion of peace."