On August 6, 2025, survivors, bereaved families, representatives from over 120 nations and international organisations, and thousands of Japanese citizens and visitors gathered at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima to mark the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing that killed over 140,000 people.

The ceremony included a dedication of the victims’ registry, the release of doves, floral tributes, rounded off with a performance of the Hiroshima Peace Song.

At 8:15 am, the exact time the bomb fell, sirens rang across the city, the Peace Bell tolled, and attendees at the park, in homes, and at workplaces paused for a minute of silent prayer.

Before the ceremony, Harbingers’ Magazine’s Jamie Chan, Irma Mecele and Reva Sobti interviewed Motomu Okuya, 66, the Chair of the Higashihiroshima City Council, a well-known local official serving his fourth term.

“My grandfather died because of the atomic bomb, so I came here to pay my respects with many thoughts in my heart. I want young people to know about the devastation caused by the atomic bomb and to pass this knowledge on to future generations.”

In the ceremony’s Peace Declaration, Mayor Matsui condemned nuclear deterrence and urged Japan to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. He uses quotes from hibakushas, one woman ‘cremating her father despite glass shards piercing through her body’, another haunted by a dying girl’s plea: “Please! Give me water!” These personal stories, he said, fuel the fight against nuclear arms.

Matsui warned that global military buildups, exemplified by conflicts like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Middle East’s unrest, show policymakers’ wrong belief that “nuclear weapons are essential for national defense.”

The Mayor called this a “flagrant disregard” of history’s lessons and encouraged citizens to “never give up.” Instead, they should work on building a global consensus through grassroots movements and youth-led initiatives such as peace art, music, and tree planting.

The Mayor called this a “flagrant disregard” of history’s lessons and encouraged citizens to “never give up.” Instead, they should work on building a global consensus through grassroots movements and youth-led initiatives such as peace art, music, and tree planting.

He then implored world leaders to visit Hiroshima, “witness with your own eyes what an atomic bombing does,” and to shift toward “a security framework based on trust through dialogue.” Urging Japan to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, he reaffirmed Hiroshima’s commitment to peace and support for hibakusha, whose average age now exceeds 86. “Thinking of others,” he said, “is how humanity has resolved much conflict.”

Later in the “Commitment to Peace,” two local sixth graders urged their generation to carry forward the testimony of hibakusha (a Japanese word for the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings) and work toward a compassionate, nuclear-free world.

UN Under-Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu cautioned of an increasingly tense geopolitical world and supported the message of resilience.

Although the bombing led to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II, it did not stop the suffering for the people of Japan. Hibakushas continued to face elevated risks of cancer and other radiation-related diseases, with effects across generations still seen to this day. As of 2025, there are less than 100,000 hibakushas alive.

Today, Hiroshima carries a mission not only of a city rebuilt, but also of a global symbol of peace and resilience. Its annual memorials and survivor testimonies serve as reminders of the human cost of nuclear conflict and advocate against policies of nuclear deterrence.