The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization representing survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Known as Hibakusha, this group was recognized for its advocacy for a nuclear-free world and for sharing powerful testimonies about the horrors of nuclear warfare.
Founded in 1956, Nihon Hidankyo is the largest and most influential organization for atomic bomb survivors in Japan. Its mission focuses on raising global awareness of the devastating humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons. By recounting their personal experiences of the destruction they faced in August 1945, the Hibakusha have contributed significantly to establishing the international “nuclear taboo,” a strong norm that deems the use of nuclear arms morally unacceptable.
The Nobel Committee commended Nihon Hidankyo for its relentless efforts to foster and maintain global opposition to nuclear weapons, highlighting how their testimonies offer unique insights into the profound pain and suffering caused by such arms. “The Hibakusha help us to describe the indescribable, to think the unthinkable,” the Committee stated in its announcement.
Nearly 80 years after the bombings, nuclear weapons remain a global threat. With nations modernizing their arsenals and new dangers emerging, the Committee cautioned that the nuclear taboo is facing challenges. “At this moment in human history, it is worth reminding ourselves what nuclear weapons are: the most destructive weapons the world has ever seen,” it added.
Next year marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which resulted in an estimated 120,000 immediate fatalities, with thousands more succumbing to injuries and radiation in the years that followed. The Hibakusha’s narratives, communicated through witness accounts, public appeals, and annual delegations to the United Nations, have been vital in advancing nuclear disarmament initiatives.