Peace Boat at the third Nuclear Ban Treaty Meeting of States Parties, 2025

The Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York the week of March 3-8, 2025. This meeting will bring together governments and civil society from all around the world to continue to build on the treaty’s vision of the total elimination of nuclear weapons as the world marks the 80th anniversary since the start of the nuclear threat.

Peace Boat will attend the Meeting, together with other partners from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), with a particular focus on amplifying the voices of people and communities impacted by nuclear weapons, and linking activities of Japanese campaigners, parliamentarians and experts to global movements.

For further information about the Meeting click here. In addition to the diplomatic meetings taking place throughout the week, dozens of side events will also be convened on a variety of topics, from nuclear justice to art to youth engagement. For a full overview, please see ICAN’s Nuclear Ban Week calendar.

Cooperation as part of the Japan Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

As part of the Japan NGO Network for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Peace Boat is collaborating with other Japanese civil society organizations, experts and youth atttending the 3MSP and following the proceedings from Japan, organising daily livestream events linking New York and Japan and providing updates to the Japanese public and media. Click here for information about these events (in Japanese language).

Peace Boat also collaborated as part of the campaign to submit two Working Papers to the 3MSP, based on discussions at the International Civil Society Forum to Abolish Nuclear Weapons – 80 Years after the Atomic Bombings held in Tokyo on February 8-9, 2025. These Working Papers can be accessed below:

• Victim Assistance ― Creating Mechanisms for Participation of Affected Communities
• Toward the Universalization of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons: Engaging Nuclear-Dependent States

Solidarity with and Support for Survivors

Representatives of communities whose health and environment have been affected by nuclear weapons, including Hibakusha of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, will be in New York to take part in the meeting and come together collectively to share their experiences and discuss their fights for justice. 

Peace Boat will be supporting the representatives of Nihon Hidankyo, 2024 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, in their participation at the 3MSP, including provision of interpretation. 

We will also be co-organising with ICAN the Nuclear Survivors Forum 2025, the fourth in the series, with details as below:

Location : Church Center for the United Nations, 777 United Nations Plaza, 2nd Floor, New York 10017
Date and Time: March 6 (Thursday), 14:00-16:00
Contact: Rico Robertson rico(a)peaceboat.gr.jp

The Nuclear Survivors Forum 2025 will invite two Hibakusha (atomic bombing survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki) from Japan and Korea to share to their personal accounts of the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, followed by space for members of nuclear affected communities members to network and jointly discuss the needs and expectations for the wider anti-nuclear community, the TPNW State Parties and beyond.

Guest speakers - two Hibakusha (one Japanese, and one Korean)  guest speakers will share about the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons (with English interpretation):

• Mr HAMASUMI Jiro, a prenatally-exposed survivor of Hiroshima, Assistant Secretary General of Nihon Hidankyo, and co-founder and president of a Tokyo-based Hibakusha association
• Ms PARK Jungsoon, first generation Korean Hibakusha of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, Advisory Committee Member, Busan Branch

Representatives of communities affected by nuclear weapons are encouraged to join. Their allies and friends are also welcome, under the condition that they understand and accept that the event is primarily for affected community members.

These Forums  provide important opportunities for nuclear affected communities from around the world to exchange, and to input into the TPNW policy process on victim assistance and environmental remediation.

Photo from Nuclear Survivors Forum during the 2MSP in 2023

The Nuclear Threat and Northeast Asia

Peace Boat will collaborate with Korean and Mongolian civil society organisations to hold a joint Side Event focusing on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, with details as below.
As we approach 80 years since the end of World War II and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Northeast Asia is characterised by political crises, escalating tensions and growing dangers. This side event will provide space for civil society experts from Japan, Korea and Mongolia to together consider the peace and security situation in Northeast Asia today, and particularly to highlight opportunities for easing of tensions and progress in disarmament provided by the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It will also feature the voices of Korean and Japanese Hibakusha in relation to victim assistance.

Action to Overcome the Nuclear Crisis on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia
Peace Boat, Blue Banner & Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea

Tuesday, 4 March·3:00 – 4:15pm
Conf Rm A - United Nations Headquarters, 405 E 45th St, New York, NY 10017, USA

Speakers include:

• Enkhsaikhan Jargalsaikhan, Chair, Blue Banner
• Lee Youngah, Manager of the Center for Peace and Disarmament, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD)
• Yoshioka Tatsuya, Founder and Director, Peace Boat
• Japanese A-bomb victim from Nihon Hidankyo (TBC)
• Ko Youngdae, Co-Representative, Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea (SPARK)
• Shim Jintae, Head of the Hapcheon Branch of the Korean Atomic Bomb Victims Association