Mr. Kazumi Matsui, mayor of Hiroshima and president of Mayors for Peace, an international organisation of cities dedicated to the promotion of peace, has capped a busy week engaging with Members of the Oireachtas by attending a Mayors for Peace signing ceremony at Leinster House.
The Mayors for Peace organisation was established in 1982 in response to the deaths of many of the city's residents due to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on 6 August, 1945. In February 2023, the Ceann Comhairle visited Hiroshima and met Mr. Matsui when he laid a wreath at the cenotaph commemorating the loss.
Speaking at the event, held in the Reading Room in Leinster House, the Ceann Comhairle stated:
It is a privilege to host this event in Leinster House and to welcome Council leaders from across Ireland. The importance of this initiative and the promotion of peace in an ever more dangerous world cannot be underestimated. The Mayors for Peace organisation was founded to bring people together in the face of adversity, and we must continue in our work to build a better future for all.
Attendees at the signing of Mayors for Peace signing ceremony
Earlier in the week Mr. Matsui addressed the Seanad after meeting the Cathaoirleach, Senator Jerry Buttimer, where he stated:
The vision of Mayors for Peace is to seek the abolition of nuclear weapons and to realise sustainable and resilient cities for lasting world peace. To achieve these goals, we place the highest priority on promoting the culture of peace through engagement in music, art, and sports at citizen level in daily life and by conducting such cultural exchanges across national borders, people can share the essential value of peace.