Speaking at a ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Secretary-General António Guterres today (6 Aug) said it was “totally unacceptable for states in possession of nuclear weapons to admit the possibility of a nuclear war.”

During the solemn event at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Guterres said, “seventy-seven years ago, tens of thousands of people were killed in this city, in the blink of an eye. Women, children, and men were incinerated in a hellish fire.”

He said, “almost 13,000 nuclear weapons are held in arsenals around the world. And crises with grave nuclear undertones are spreading fast — from the Middle East to the Korean peninsula, to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

To the Hibakushas, he said, “your voice, your testimony are extremely important, and we promise to keep it forever, and never let it back.”

To the youth, he said, “there is a chance that your generation will be able to have weapons that do not exist now. And make sure you guarantee sustainability and inclusivity. A world without nuclear weapons, a world where climate change is controlled, and a world where social cohesion prevails over inequality.”

The ceremony attended by dozens of people, including hibakusha, young peace activists, Japan’s Prime Minister, and other local authorities.

The Secretary-General visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

He also met a group of surviving victims of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, - known as the Hibakushas - and participated in a dialogue with young activists who are leading initiatives on nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, and other global issues.

The UN chief also met with the mayor of Hiroshima, and the deputy mayor of Nagasaki, and was granted honorary citizenship of Hiroshima.