2.1 Mayors for Peace - Uitnodiging Mayors for Peace

Mayors for Peace Secretariat c/o Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, 1-5 Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima 730-0811 JAPAN E-mail: mayorcon@pcf.city.hiroshima.jp Website: www.mayorsforpeace.org April 2024 Dear Fellow Mayor, I trust this letter finds you well. In August 1945, two atomic bombs instantly reduced the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to rubble, taking more than 210,000 precious lives by the end of the year. The hibakusha—those who barely survived—still suffer from the harmful aftereffects, notably of radiation. While their minds and bodies are in pain, they continue to make their appeal that “no one else should suffer as we have.” With our hibakusha aging, we are determined to have their experiences and strong desire for peace shared and wholeheartedly accepted by future generations, and to have those commitments spread throughout the world. I am convinced that spreading their message will eventually lead to the realization of their most cherished will, the abolition of nuclear weapons. In 1982, Hiroshima and Nagasaki established Mayors for Peace to achieve this goal. It is a non- partisan, global network of municipalities that is registered at the UN with ECOSOC.

Since its establishment, Mayors for Peace has expanded its membership and worked in solidarity with its member cities to call for the realization of a world free from nuclear weapons and lasting world peace. Presided by the Mayor of Hiroshima and vice presided by the Mayor of Nagasaki along with 10 other mayors of cities from across the world, as of April 1st of this year, Mayors for Peace has grown to 8,378 member cities from 166 countries and regions. In January 2021, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons entered into force, which is the first multilateral treaty to clearly and fundamentally define that nuclear weapons are subjected to total prohibition. This is a proof that voices of hibakusha and those who share their fervent wish for the total elimination of nuclear weapons pushed international society forward. In this context, Mayors for Peace adopted the Vision for Peaceful Transformation to a Sustainable World (PX Vision) and Action Plan (2021-2025) in July of the same year. The Vision sets forth three objectives: “Realize a world without nuclear weapons,” “Realize safe and resilient cities,” and “Promote a culture of peace.” In order to pursue these objectives, we have decided to put a greater emphasis on the expansion of our membership.

The growing number of Mayors for Peace member cities is a powerful force building real momentum toward peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons. To this end, I humbly ask that you share in our sincere message from the atomic bombed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and join Mayors for Peace to support our initiatives toward genuine and lasting world peace. Sincerely yours, MATSUI Kazumi President of Mayors for Peace Mayor of Hiroshima Mayors for Peace Registration Form To Mr. MATSUI Kazumi Mayor of Hiroshima President of Mayors for Peace I hereby express my city/municipality’s support for the abolition of nuclear weapons and desire to join Mayors for Peace.* Name of the city/municipality**: **This is the name we will use to refer to your city/municipality in our database. Name of country: Mayor’s name: Title: Mayor’s Signature: Date: Mayor’s office address: TEL: FAX: E-mail: Website: Municipal Population: (as of ) Contact person Name: Title: Position: E-mail: Questionnaire How did you find out about Mayors for Peace? ☐Member City: (Name) ☐Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country ☐NGO/Organization: (Name) ☐Meeting with Mayor of Hiroshima ☐Other: (please specify) Please send this form to: Mayors for Peace Secretariat FAX : +81-82-242-7452 E-mail : mayorcon@pcf.city.hiroshima.jp Note *This registration form implies your city/municipality’s decision to join Mayors for Peace.

If your city/municipality requires specific procedures, including approval from your city/municipal council, please submit this form after such procedures are completed. *Mayors for Peace runs several social media sites (Twitter @Mayors4Peace, Facebook @mayorsforpeace) where we would like to introduce our new member cities. We ask your permission to share information about your new membership with our followers. If you agree to the above, we ask that you please provide (1) a photo of the current mayor and (2) a photo that represents your city (landmark, landscape, etc.). Thank you in advance for your cooperation. 1. Outline In August 1945, atomic bombs dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki instantly reduced them to rubble, taking more than 210,000 precious lives. With more than 75 years since the bombings, many survivors (hibakusha) still suffer from the physical and emotional aftereffects of radiation. To spread throughout the world the hibakusha’s ardent wish symbolized in the message that “no one should suffer as we have ,” and to ensure it is passed on to future generations, Hiroshima and Nagasaki remain steadfast in our assertion to the world that nuclear weapons are inhumane and continue to call for their abolition.

On June 24, 1982, at the 2nd UN Special Session on Disarmament held at the UN Headquarters in New York, then Mayor Takeshi Araki of Hiroshima called for cities throughout the world to t ranscend national borders and join in solidarity to work together to press for nuclear abolition . Subsequently, the Cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki established “The World Conference of Mayors for Peace through Inter -city Solidarity” (now, Mayors for Peace), composed of mayors around the world who formally expressed support for this call. In 1991, the organization was r egistered as an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). *On August 5, 2001, the organization changed its name from “The World Conference of Mayors for Peace through Inter-city Solidarity” to “Mayors for Peace.” 2. Mission The purposes of “Mayors for Peace” are to contribute to the attainment of lasting world peace by arousing concern among citizens of the world for the total abolition of nuclear weapons through close solidarity among member cities as well as by striving to solve vital problems for the human race such as starvation and poverty, the plight of refugees, human rights abuses, and environmental degradation. 3.

Structure 1) Member Cities (as of April 1, 2024) 8,378 cities in 166 countries & regions Area Countries & Regions Member Cities Asia 39 3,355 Oceania 9 137 Africa 49 438 Europe 41 3,365 North America 3 341 Latin America and the Caribbean 25 742 Regions: Taiwan / Palestine / Northern Cyprus (Asia), Northern Mariana Islands / French Polynesia (Oceania), Somaliland (Africa), Kosovo(Europe), Greenland (North America), Puerto Rico (Latin America and the Caribbean) Mayors for Peace 2) Executive Cities The following 21 cities are executive cities (From oldest to newest). President City: Hiroshima (Japan) Vice President Cities: Nagasaki (Japan) Hannover (Germany) Malakoff (France) Muntinlupa (Philippines) Manchester (UK) Ypres (Belgium) Granollers (Spain) Halabja (Iraq) Biograd na Moru (Croatia) Des Moines (US) Montreal (Canada) Executive Cities: Santos (Brazil) Wellington (New Zealand) Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Bangkok (Thailand) Cartago (Costa Rica) Tehran (Iran) Grigny (France) Cervia (Italy) Evora (Portugal) *Underlined are Lead Cities in charge of their regional chapter: 19 cities 3) Secretariat Address : c/o Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation 1-5 Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima 730-0811 JAPAN E-mail : mayorcon@pcf.city.hiroshima.jp Website : www.mayorsforpeace.org 4. How to Join 1) Registration Process i.

If your city/municipality would like to join us, please send a “Registration Form” to the Secretariat. ii. The Secretariat registers its new member cities once a month (around the 20th). iii. Date of affiliation is the 1st day of the month following the date registration procedures are completed by the Secretariat. “Certification of Membership” will be sent out to newly affiliated cities after the date of affiliation. 2) Membership Fee 2,000 yen/year * However, when deemed appropriate, Member Cities can be exempt from Fee payment. Member Cities will not lose their membership if they do not pay the Fee. 3) Member Cities’ Activities (Examples) i. Promote the petition drive calling for all states to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as soon as possible ii. Hold peace-related events such as the Mayors for Peace Atomic Bomb Poster Exhibition and share reports iii. Invite mayors of your sister cities and neighboring cities who are not yet members to join Mayors for Peace iv. Attend the General Conference *Please see “Peace-Related Activities Offered to Members of Mayors for Peace” for more activities that member cities will get the opportunity to participate in. 5. Conferences 1) General Conference Mayors for Peace holds a General Conference once every four years in principle.

Hosted alternately between Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the General Conference is an opportunity for member cities to decide and adopt agenda items significant to the organization. 2) Executive Conference Mayors for Peace holds an Executive Conference generally once every two years in one of the executive cities, where executives discuss future initiatives and plans for the next General Conference. 6. Vision for Peaceful Transformation to a Sustainable World (PX Vision) - Peacebuilding by Cities for Disarmament and Common Security - 1) Outline In order to achieve a world in which all people can perpetually benefit from peace by realizing the total elimination of nuclear weapons and by attaining and maintaining peaceful coexistence between the whole of humanity, subsequent to the 2020 Vision, Mayors for Peace adopted the Vision for Peaceful Transformation to a Sustainable World (PX Vision): Peacebuilding by Cities for Disarmament and Common Security at the 12th Executive Conference in July 2021. Based on this, we build cities where citizens act with a strong sense of solidarity for the ultimate goal of realizing lasting world peace.

2) Initiatives For cities to ensure the safety and security of their citizens from the great threat of nuclear weapons and to attain and maintain peaceful coexistence between the whole of humanity, under three objectives set forth in the Vision, Mayors for Peace member c ities implement the initiatives outlined in the Mayors for Peace Action Plan (2021 – 2025) to promote peacebuilding by cities. [Main Initiatives] 1. Appeal to the UN and national governments 2. Mayors for Peace Atomic Bomb Poster Exhibition 3. Providing opportunities to hear hibakusha’s testimonies 4. Distribute and nurture seeds from atomic bomb survivor trees (hibaku trees) 5. Children’s Art Competition “Peaceful Towns” 6. Peace Education Webinar 7. Youth Exchange for Peace Support Program 8. Collaboration with member cities 10th General Conference (October 2022, Hiroshima) Objective A: Reali e a world without nuclear weapons Vision Action Plan 1. Sharing in the hibakusha s earnest wishes Objective B: Reali e safe and resilient cities 2. Contribute to a sustainable Earth and society: Promoting the SDGs Objective C: Promote a culture of peace 3. Foster and expand international public support 4. Promote sustainable development of Mayors for Peace as an organization Lasting World Peace

Meeting with national government representatives (June 2022, Vienna) Speech by the President at the first Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (June 2022, Vienna) Meeting with Ms. Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs (June 2022, Vienna) Presentation by a youth from a member city at the Mayors for Peace Youth Forum held in UNOG (April 2018, Geneva) Planting ceremony of a second generation atomic-bombed Ginkgo seedling by a member city (April 2018, Guernika-Lumo) Discussions at the Mayors for Peace Youth Exchange for Peace: Support Program for "HIROSHIMA and PEACE" by youths from member cities (August 2019, Hiroshima) Petition Drive by the President and high school students in the street (August 2022, Hiroshima) Presenting signatures to the representatives of UN by high school students participating in the petition drive (April 2019, New York) Holding the Mayors for Peace Atomic Bomb Poster Exhibition by a member city (June 2015, Muntinlupa) Mayors for Peace Secretariat c/o Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, 1-5 Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima 730-0811 JAPAN E-mail: mayorcon@pcf.city.hiroshima.jp Website: www.mayorsforpeace.org

Upon joining Mayors for Peace, your city will have the opportunity to participate in activities and programs which reflect the ultimate goal of the Mayors for Peace Action Plan: lasting world peace. We hope you will join us and that together, we will make significant strides towards realizing our goal. Below please find a list of activities which we offer to our member cities: 1. Seeds from Atomic Bomb Survivor Trees Mayors for Peace distributes seeds from trees that survived the atomic bombings to all member cities who wish to receive them. It is our hope that by taking care of these trees, which serve as symbols of peace, member cities can foster the ideals of peace amongst their citizens. Seeds are provided free of charge. 2. Youth Exchange for Peace Support Program Mayors for Peace provides financial and other support to selected youth from member cities who would like to participate in the “International Youth Conference for Peace in the Future” and “HIROSHIMA and PEACE” programs aimed at fostering a better understanding of the realities of the atomic bombings and to inspire proactive contribution to nuclear abolition efforts in their home cities. Financial support will partially cover expenses associated with the programs, such as travel, accommodation, daily allowances, and other various expenses based on Mayors for Peace guidelines. 3.

Children’s Art Competitions Based on the art prompt “Peaceful Towns”, Mayors for Peace has held an art competition for children ages 6 to 15 in member cities since 2018 with the aim of furthering the promotion of peace education in younger generations around the world. Peace-Related Activities Offered to Members of Mayors for Peace

4. Atomic Bomb Poster Exhibitions Mayors for Peace calls on member cities to hold exhibitions of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A tomic B omb Posters and other related materials to foster a deepened understanding of the realities of the atomic bombings and strengthen the resolve towards nuclear abolition among their citizens. Posters are available in: Japanese, English, German, French, Russian, Dutch, Spanish, Catalan, and Portuguese Posters are provided free of charge (files can be downloaded from the Mayors for Peace website). 5. Online Hibakusha Testimonies By request, Mayors for Peace can help connect venues in member cities to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum so they can experience online hibakusha testimonies. Available free of charge. For more information, please contact: Mayors for Peace Secretariat c/o Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation 1-5 Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima 730-0811 JAPAN E-mail: mayorcon@pcf.city.hiroshima.jp