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On December 10th, Nihon Hidankyo will receive the Nobel Peace Prize and deliver the iconic Nobel lecture in Oslo, Norway. To mark this big moment, nuclear disarmament activists, including ICAN, and hibakusha are gathering in Oslo and around the world, for a series of testimonies, public events and celebrations honouring the survivors and highlighting their call for a world free of nuclear weapons. Here is what to expect:
When and where is the ceremony?
The Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony takes place in Oslo City Hall on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s Death and Human Rights Day. The ceremony contains artistic performances, the speech of the Chair of the Nobel Committee, the presentation of the diploma and medal, and the Nobel Peace Prize lecture.
You can stream the lecture on the Nobel Prize website:
For an idea of what to expect - and a powerful reminder of how powerful hibakusha voices are - you can watch Setsuko Thurlow’s Nobel lecture (on behalf of ICAN) from 2017.
🧵"If you care about life you cannot justify the existence of nuclear weapons."
— ICAN (@nuclearban) December 10, 2024
Nihon Hidankyo’s #NobelPeacePrize is not just a recognition, it’s a powerful call to action. The hibakusha’s message is clear: we must get rid of nuclear weapons forever, and the time to act is now. pic.twitter.com/3uNyRfBam6
Why did Nihon Hidankyo get the Nobel Peace Prize?
Nihon Hidankyo is the Japanese Confederation of Atomic and Hydrogen Bomb Sufferers, a grassroots coalition of survivors of the U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The coalition was awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize “for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again.” The award is a well-deserved recognition of the hibakusha’s tireless and heroic efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons.
Hibakusha is Japanese for ‘bombed man’ and was originally a loaded term in Japan, where many survivors kept their stories a secret to avoid stigma. But over the decades, countless hibakusha have shared their stories to bring the world’s attention to what nuclear weapons actually do to people when they are used. This puts the stigma where it belongs: on these inhumane weapons and those who accept them.
The hibakusha are the real experts on the effects of nuclear weapons and leaders in the global effort for their total elimination. Their powerful testimonies and determined advocacy helped build the taboo against nuclear use and to bring about the 2017 UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Nihon Hidankyo’s Nobel Peace Prize underscores the importance of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) as the unequivocal and global ban against nuclear weapons and is a testament to the power of survivors’ voices and the global demand for change.
Will hibakusha join the events in Oslo?
Yes! This historic celebration of a grassroots organisation would not be complete without the voices of the hibakusha, and Nihon Hidankyo is traveling with a delegation of 30 people to participate in the ceremony, as well as speak to press and visit local schools to talk about their experiences, in a bid to appeal to the world for abolition of nuclear weapons amid growing nuclear threats.
Additionally, ICAN partner Peace Boat is organising "Nihon Hidankyo Nobel Peace Prize Celebration Tour," which brings a delegation of 50 first, second and third-generation hibakusha to celebrate the award from the city of Oslo and take part in various related events open to the public. Learn more about the tour here.
For an overview of events in Oslo, click here.
Can I participate if I’m not in Oslo?
Many ICAN partners and peace organisations are organising local events to mark this moment (including in Washington DC and Paris), like testimony sessions, watch parties and more, so if there is one near you, make sure you join it! But you can also make a difference online. In addition to watching the stream, ICAN invites you to join a special Social Media Hour on Tuesday December 10th at 12 PM UTC , and we’ve put together a toolkit with easy ways to share your support - both during the ceremony and throughout the week:
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Share one of our prewritten posts.
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Take a selfie with a message of solidarity for Nihon Hidankyo.
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Record a quick video sharing why this win is so meaningful and why you are proud to stand with the Hibakusha.
What else is happening in Oslo?
On December 9, 10, and 11 we celebrate the Nobel Peace Prize laureates and amplify their message through a series of events in Oslo. You can find a full overview of events organised by ICAN Norway and ICAN Norway's partner organizations here, and the calendar of the Oslo Peace Days here. Highlights include:
Monday Dec 9, 2024
Paper Crane Action - Norwegian Parliament 9AM
The paper crane represents the fight against nuclear weapons and is the symbol of Nihon Hidankyo. So we are kicking off the big week by bringing this symbol to Norwegian Parliament as a reminder that the best way to honor Nihon Hidankyo's legacy and their tireless advocacy is by taking concrete steps to support the TPNW, and that Norway’s signature to the treaty is still pending.
More shots from the #NobelPeacePrize events happening in Oslo! 📸🤩
— ICAN (@nuclearban) December 9, 2024
If you are not in Oslo but want to join in on celebrating and showing support for #NihonHidankyo, we have created a toolkit to make it super easy⬇️🔗https://t.co/QM3tftQnZW#NuclearBan pic.twitter.com/VhAUyd4tmE
Seeds for Peace- Botanic Gardens 3PM
When ICAN was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017, a delegation of hibakusha planted seeds from Hibakujumoku - trees that survived the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 - in a "Seeds for Peace"ceremony in the Oslo Botanical Garden as a token of hope. To mark this year’s Nobel Prize, the Botanical garden will receive new seeds from the trees that survived the atomic attack, and there will be a commemoration of the peace trees that have already grown here in Oslo.
Meet the Survivors + Light for Peace Remembrance Ceremony - Deichman Library 18:00
Hearing the survivor’s stories is one of the most powerful ways to understand nuclear weapons . This is why on the evening before the award ceremony we encourage people to join this– public and free – event where attendees will get a chance to hear from a hibakusha about that day in August 1945, and the weeks, months, and years that followed, as well as watch the powerful film Hibakusha Testimonies and hear from disarmament experts and former Nobel Peace Prize laureates.
ICAN meeting with Nihon Hidankyo
On the eve of the ceremony, ICAN’s Executive Director Melissa Parke will meet with representatives of Nihon Hidankyo to formally extend ICAN’s congratulations . This meeting will bring together the two most recent Nobel Laureates to receive the award for nuclear disarmament efforts will, and will touch on the opportunities to use the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings next year to drive political change, and the urgent need for all countries, including the nuclear-armed states and their allies, such as Japan, to join the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Tuesday December 10 –
Nobel ceremony (and livestream events)
For those who didn't get a seat in City Hall for the official ceremony but still want to follow this year’s Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, ICAN Norway and the Deichman Library in Bjørvika are hosting a watch party of NRK’s live broadcast. Doors open at 12:45 PM, The ceremony starts at 1:00 PM and the screening ends around 2:20 PM. The event is free, but to ensure space, please register in advance.
Torchlight Procession - and social event
Wednesday December 11 –
Nobel Peace Prize Forum - Norwegian Nobel institute 10AM
At this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Forum, three former Nobel Peace Prize laureatesand leading experts on global nuclear politics - including ICAN's Executive Director Melissa Parke - will discuss strategies to mitigate the risk of nuclear war and advance toward nuclear disarmament. We will also hear powerful testimonies from Hibakusha, the survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The forum will be livestreamed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpM2jO6PK7s
Talking About The Fire: a live performance by Chris Thorpe.
11 dec: 13.30-15.00 @ Klingenberg Kino