Announcing the Hiroshima-ICAN Academy on Nuclear Weapons and Global Security 2021

Hiroshima Prefecture and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (“ICAN”), the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize Award winning organization, will hold the Hiroshima-ICAN Academy on Nuclear Weapons and Global Security 2021 (hereafter referred to as “the Academy”). Peace Boat is honoured to join as an organising partner. Through this training program, we aim to nurture global leaders who can make concrete contributions towards a more peaceful and secure world.
Join us for this opportunity to meet and learn together with inspiring people from diverse backgrounds around the world!

The Open Learning Course is available from Thursday, July 1, for the purpose of providing more people with information on topics relating to nuclear issues and international politics.
For more information, please visit here.

Join us for one of the online information sessions to learn more about features of the program, the application process and details of both the online learning and webinars of the Academy 2021.
Click here to register to join an Online Information Session.

Background of the program

The Academy was launched in 2019, based on the agreement between Mr. Yuzaki Hidehiko, Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture and Ms. Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director of ICAN. The first Academy held in Summer 2019 was an in-person program, in which 15 students and young professionals from different regions of the world came to Hiroshima to participate. In 2020, the program was rearranged into two parts; Part 1 as online learning and webinars, and Part 2 planned to be an in-person training program in Hiroshima. 31 participants joined Part 1 to learn together virtually, but Part 2 was not held due to COVID-19.

Number of participants so far: 46
Countries/Regions of participants: 21
(Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Georgia, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Kyrgyz Republic, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Uganda, United Kingdom and the United States)

Previous programs: Academy 2019 / Academy 2020

Program Overview

The Academy 2021 is planned to be held in two parts; Part 1 as online learning and webinars, and Part 2 as an in-person training program in Hiroshima. The dates for Part 2, tentatively scheduled for March 2022, will be confirmed in November after carefully considering the COVID-19 circumstances in Japan and overseas. Please note that a separate selection process will apply for each part. The program will be conducted entirely in English.

(1) Part 1 (Online Learning and Webinars)
Through an online learning course beginning in late September as an asynchronous training program (self-paced) and participating in webinars in October as a synchronous training program (set-pace, at scheduled times), participants will learn about four themes: the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons; the political, legal, and technical aspects of nuclear weapons and global security; civil society in action; and disarmament diplomacy and the role of the United Nations. During the interactive and engaging webinars, participants will have opportunities to learn from guest educators including atomic bomb survivors, as well as mutual learning among participants themselves.

Dates: Tuesday, September 21 – Sunday, October 3 (Online Learning)
Monday, October 4 – Friday, October 22 (Webinars; number and dates TBC)
Participants: 30 students in college, university or graduate school and young professionals (approximately 25 years of age or younger)
* Among participants, one (1) shall have a connection to Hiroshima Prefecture.
Program fee: Free

(2) Part 2 (In-person training program in Hiroshima)
Participants will have an invaluable opportunity to learn about the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons through activities such as directly hearing testimonies of the survivors and visiting the A-bombed remains and peace museum, along with other themes.
Dates: Five days in March 2022 (Details to be confirmed in mid November)
Venue: An accommodation and training facility in Hiroshima City
Program fee: Free

* An Open Learning Course, open to anyone who is interested in learning with the online materials, is also available this year!
See here for more details and to join.

Program Features

• Understand the reality of the atomic bombing, such as the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and health effects of radiation, through testimonies of the survivors.
• Learn about global trends on nuclear weapons and global security, through exchange with professors and researchers of universities, institutions, and so forth.
• Acquire necessary skills and innovative visions for concretely contributing in the global arena towards realizing a peaceful world.
• Engage with and learn from UN officials, diplomats, and NGO members.

Program Themes

• Humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons
• Political, legal, and technical aspects of nuclear weapons and global security
• Civil society in action
• Diplomacy for disarmament and security, and the role of the United Nations

Application Details

Applications opened on July 1, and the deadline for submission will be August 20, 2021.
For full details about the application requirements, procedures, schedule and more, as well as for any inquiries about the program, please visit the dedicated homepage of Hiroshima Prefecture here!