A life-changing emotional experience

by Walusungu Mtonga, InternatIonal Medical Student Representative

The Hiroshima ICAN Academy on Nuclear Weapons and Global Security is a program which aims to nurture global leaders who can make concrete contributions towards a more peaceful and secure world.

In 2022, 29 participants from 20 different countries took part in the academy which comprised a series of online learning and webinar sessions and a Hiroshima in-person session. I was privileged to have attended both.

The online and webinar sessions comprised a series of interactive presentations by experts in the nuclear weapon disarmament space and included breakout rooms where participants had the opportunity to reflect on the presentations and discuss various topics.

During the Hiroshima in-person session, we visited the Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum. In the park we appreciated the Atomic Bomb Dome, which was the only structure left standing in the area where the first atomic bomb exploded on 6 August 1945. The atmosphere around the park told a story of the humanitarian effects of the atomic bomb.  Seventy-seven years after the bomb explosion, the park was filled with people of all age groups, including school children who sang songs and laid down wreaths in remembrance of those lost during the tragedy and the elderly who paid homage to their loved ones. The museum told a story which words cannot describe using actual footage and images prior to, during, and after the bombing of the city. The immediate loss of lives and destruction of buildings was displayed. The short term and long-term effects on those who had survived the initial blast including effects of heat and radiation and psychological trauma were also displayed. 

We also met some of the Hibakusha (survivors of the atomic bomb) who gave live testimony of their experiences; how they lost their homes and loved ones to disease or fell ill themselves and how they went into hiding for fear of discrimination. We heard their plea to young people (us) to tell the world about their stories and continue the fight against nuclear weapons.

We also visited a local newspaper company and appreciated the works it does in preserving and telling the stories of the survivors.

Lastly, we visited the governor of Hiroshima Prefecture Government and the Mayor of Hiroshima City and learned the initiatives they are undertaking to preserve the history of the tragedy and promoting global peace. At the end of each activity, participants got together to reflect on what they had learned and how they would apply it. 

On the final day, participants made presentations on how they would convert the knowledge they had acquired during the Academy into actions.

The Hiroshima ICAN Academy is a life changing emotional experience that makes one fall in love with humanity. 

Apply for this year’s edition of the program here.