- UNITAR Division for Prosperity/Hiroshima Office will hold the Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Training Programme from 13-18 February 2023 in Hiroshima, Japan.
- This is the first time UNITAR Hiroshima Office will hold this programme’s in-person workshops since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.
- Nearly 20 diplomats and government officials from Asian countries will learn the theoretical and practical components of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
- UNITAR also invites you to a public seminar in Hiroshima City on 18 February 2023 to raise awareness of latest discourse on nuclear debate.
Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Training Programme
UNITAR
9 February 2023, Hiroshima, Japan – UNITAR Division for Prosperity/Hiroshima Office will resume its in-person Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (NDNP) Training Programme in Hiroshima, Japan. The UNITAR programme gives diplomats detailed insights into the protocols and procedures of disarmament and non-proliferation conferences – such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Review Conference and meetings on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons – and builds their communication and negotiation skills. Running the training in Hiroshima conveys a deeper learning experience with the aid of new technologies to spread Hiroshima’s legacy.
The Programme’s past two cycles held in 2021 and 2022 were run virtually due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions. Being trained in the symbolic city of Hiroshima will give participants a deeper learning experience.
The Programme also includes a public seminar “2023 Outlook on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation” to promote greater understanding in the Hiroshima community. The event will be held in Hiroshima on 18 February 2023 and is open to the public.
2023 cycle: Training workshop in Hiroshima
UNITAR
This year, nearly 20 diplomats and government officials nominated by their governments will join the NDNP training programme. The participants will learn about the current state of the global nuclear debate, and the challenges and opportunities concerning the possession and use of nuclear weapons. The officials will discuss in depth the following topics:
- Outline NPT 2022 Review Conference: Assessment and next cycle review
- UN disarmament and non-proliferation bodies
- The humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons
- Cyberthreats and nuclear weapons
- New technologies and their impact on nuclear disarmament
UNITAR will introduce cutting-edge technologies as part of the learning experience. A virtual reality tour at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is set for immediate immersion into the rich history of Hiroshima. The guided tour using the virtual reality goggles is set in various locations around the park. It provides a 360-degree simulated experience of Hiroshima City before, during and after the atomic bombing of the city. The storyline conveys Hiroshima’s perpetual message of peace and allows engagement among participants for further interpretation.
In Hiroshima, participants will listen to the testimony of hibakusha (atomic bombing survivor), Keigo Ogura. They will also meet young activists to learn about young people’s initiatives for a nuclear-free world.
Public seminar: A community discourse
UNITAR Hiroshima Office, with UNITAR Association, will also host an in-person public seminar “2023 Outlook on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation”. This seminar will encourage the audience to take concrete actions, whether or not they are already engaged in the issue.
Date and time: 18 February 2023, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. JST
Venue: Dahlia Room, B2F, Hiroshima International Conference Center, Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
Panellists:
- Mr Tariq Rauf, former Head of Verification International Atomic Energy Agency (Consulting Adviser on Policy and Outreach to the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization)
- Mr Michael Karimian, Director, Digital Diplomacy, Asia and the Pacific, Microsoft Digital Diplomacy Team
- Ms Tomoko Watanabe, Executive Director of ANT-Hiroshima and Co-founder of Green Legacy Hiroshima
Registration: Please register through this link, https://forms.gle/jMLhBy86AtJFUV4J8.
The event will be held in person only (no online session or recording). For more information, email ndnp@unitar.org.
Simultaneous interpretation in English and Japanese will be available during the seminar. The session will be moderated by Mihoko Kumamoto, UNITAR Division for Prosperity and Hiroshima Office Director.
Since 2015, UNITAR has run the Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Training Programme with the support of the Hiroshima Prefectural Government and the City of Hiroshima.
Promoting collective international understanding of the threat of nuclear weapons and facilitating discussion towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons are made ever more urgent with the escalating crisis in Ukraine. Training diplomats and communities to realize a safer world is essential for the peaceful evolution of regional geopolitics and the advancement of humanity.
About UNITAR
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a United Nations agency that promotes decision-making for a better future through training individuals and groups. Established in 1963, UNITAR reached 370,139 learners through its courses in 2021. In addition to its headquarters in Geneva, UNITAR has offices in New York, Hiroshima, and Bonn, as well as other networks around the world. UNITAR Division for Prosperity shares world-class knowledge and skills related to entrepreneurship, leadership, trade and finance, digital technologies, and disarmament. Especially from its Hiroshima Office and in training for learners from conflict and post-conflict countries, UNITAR incorporates Hiroshima’s rise from the atomic bombing to the current peaceful city as a model of reconstruction. In 2019, the UNITAR Association was established as a public support organization in Japan. It supports UNITAR through publicity and awareness-raising in Japan.