The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese grassroots organization of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This prestigious award recognizes the group’s decades-long effort to advocate for nuclear disarmament and raise awareness about the devastating humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons.
Nihon Hidankyo, representing the survivors known as Hibakusha, has tirelessly campaigned for a world free of nuclear weapons through witness testimonies, annual delegations to the United Nations, and participation in global peace conferences. The Norwegian Nobel Committee lauded the group for their steadfast commitment, emphasizing their role in fostering a global norm that stigmatizes nuclear weapons, often referred to as the "nuclear taboo."
Toshiyuki Mimaki, the head of Nihon Hidankyo, expressed his gratitude while reiterating that nuclear weapons must be abolished to prevent future tragedies. The group’s work resonates particularly in light of the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed an estimated 120,000 people.