Even before the 2010 Summit begins, we are already learning from our promising international applicants. Looking through applicants’ project proposals is always inspiring and exciting, and this week, through the project proposal of one of our applicants, we have learned about an incredible movement that is completely new to us: “hibakusha.” Literally translated as “those who were bombed” and is used more specifically to describe survivors of the 1945 Hiroshima and Nagasaki blasts. The death tolls were huge, and the survivors continue to suffer physically and psychologically. Despite, or perhaps because of, these challenges, many hibakusha are involved in the movement for a nuclear-free world.  They spread the message globally by sharing their story by public appearances and testimonial videos on the Internet.  Our applicant hopes to travel around the world with a new documentary, “Flashes of Hope: Hibakusha Traveling the World,” which just premiered at the UN.  With this film, she will raise awareness and promote a nuclear-free society.

Learning about this group has made us reflect on not only the power of survivors but also our own country’s role in creating suffering globally. One question to take away from this is, what are our responsibilities and opportunities for preventing future disasters? I’d like to think that GES can play at least a tiny part in that, by building international friendships and understanding. Already we are more aware of another challenge and another chance to affect change.

More information about hibakusha and personal testimonies are available at the following websites:

Hibakusha Testimony Videos

Voice of Hibakusha

The Globalization of Hibakusha