The UN Secretary-General called for nuclear disarmament on Tuesday as the world marked 79 years since the bombing of Hiroshima, promising that the UN will “spare no effort to ensure the horrors of that day are never repeated.”
The message for the future
As the Hiroshima Peace Memorial ceremony continued, Mr. Guterres said that global mistrust and division have grown, but we must ensure not to “press our luck again.”
“Some are recklessly rattling the nuclear saber once more,” he said. “The world must stand together to condemn this unacceptable behaviour.”
Looking ahead to the Summit of the Future in New York next month, the Secretary-General said it is a “critical opportunity for governments to renew their commitment to multilateralism, sustainable development and peace, and adopt an actionable and forward-looking Pact for the Future.”
He said that conflict prevention, disarmament and a nuclear weapons-free world need to be at the heart of these efforts.
“We will never forget the lessons of 6 August 1945,” he said. “No more Hiroshimas. No more Nagasakis.”
Renewed determination
On Tuesday, UN disarmament chief, Ms. Nakamitsu echoed that message online.
In a statement on X, she also renewed her determination “to continue to work towards a world without nuclear weapons. For the security of all peoples.”
