Atomic Bomb Day has come around again. On behalf of Hiroshima University, I would like to mourn the souls of the victims of the atomic bombing.

Today, I am pleased to welcome many distinguished guests, including the presidents of the world’s leading universities. I am deeply grateful that you have come so far to join us. We have just added 19 names, confirmed during the past year, to the ‘Hiroshima University Monument in Memory of the Atomic Bomb Victims’, making a total of 2,099 people.

Seventy-nine years ago today, many of our predecessor schools were damaged or burnt down, and the precious lives of students, pupils, faculty and administrative members were lost or damaged. Nowadays, whenever I see images of cities reduced to rubble by bombing and fire, or of emaciated children with empty eyes, as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine or the clashes between Israel and Hamas, I am reminded of the importance of each of us thinking about what action we can take to realize peace, based on the ‘The Pursuit of Peace’ which is the first principle of our university’s Guiding Principles.

As the first step towards realizing peace, Hiroshima University will host the first conference of the University Presidents for Peace in Hiroshima today, inviting the presidents of the world’s leading universities to discuss the role of universities in achieving sustainable world peace. I am convinced that hosting this conference in Hiroshima is appropriate because it holds historical importance. It was in Hiroshima that the first atomic bomb was dropped in human history, and yet from the ashes, the city rose again, thanks to the unwavering determination of its people. I strongly believe that universities have a responsibility to cultivate individuals who possess the ability to address challenges such as conflict and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through rational thinking and constructive dialogue. These individuals should also possess a diverse range of perspectives and a deep understanding of the world, enabling them to contribute to global peace.

Hiroshima University, which was founded in 1949---four years after the atomic bombing---celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Since last year, we have been working on various projects as part of the ‘75+75th Anniversary Project’. Last November we invited actor Sayuri Yoshinaga to the Higashi-Hiroshima Campus to hold a poetry reading event with her. A total of 500 audience members were captivated by her evocative narration. She concluded her poetry reading by saying, ‘Never! Nuclear weapons must never be used again!’ This has left quite an impression on me.

One of the predecessor schools of our university was the Hiroshima Prefectural Medical College (HPMC). The school opened on 5 August 1945, the day before the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, but the faculty, administrative members, and students were able to escape the disaster, because they had been evacuated to Korinbo earlier that day. This is indeed a miracle. I recently had the opportunity to hear valuable stories about those days from Keizo Fukui, a member of the first graduating class of HPMC, and Akio Kishizuchi, a member of the second graduating class of HPMC. In the future, I would like to compile their stories into one of the most important documents related to the atomic bombing of our university, then passing it on to future generations.

I am concerned that people’s memories may be fading since the bombing occurred a while ago. As our university experienced the devastating disaster of the atomic bombing, I think that it is our responsibility to continue to contemplate what the university can do to realize world peace. We will continue to actively contribute to the realization of a free and peaceful international society and to the well-being of mankind. May I take this opportunity to pledge that Hiroshima University will be still committed to the mission of ‘The Pursuit of Peace’ 100 years from now.

6th August Reiwa 6 (2024)
Mitsuo Ochi
President of Hiroshima University