Commemoration in honour of the victims of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear attacks in 1945
Statement Raymond Becker
Friddens- a Solidaritéitsplattform
Wiltz 6.8.2025
Excellency Mr Ambassador of Japan,
Dear Mayoress of the town of Wiltz,
Value Deputies,
Dear President of the association of Luxembourg cities and municipalities (SYVICOL),
Dear Mayor of the municipality of Roeser, Co-initiator of this traditional commemorative ceremony,
Dear representatives of the Mayors for Peace municipalities,
“The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists of Chicago” is a non-profit organization dedicated to the global security challenges arising from unchecked scientific and technological advances that threaten humanity. Founded by Albert Einstein and former Manhattan Project scientists in the aftermath of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, “The Bulletin” plays a critical role in raising awareness of existential risks.
Each year in January, its scientists reset the so-called Doomsday Clock. The Clock is a metaphor, not a prediction, a metaphor representing the proximity of humanity to global catastrophe. A hypothetical global catastrophe is represented by midnight on the Clock, with the Bulletin’s assessment of how close the world is to such a catastrophe expressed as a certain number of minutes or seconds to midnight and reviewed each January. This year, the clock was set at 89 seconds to midnight. The scientists warn that humanity is edging ever closer to catastrophe.
Trends that have deeply concerned the Science and Security Board continued, and despite unmistakable signs of danger, national leaders and their societies have failed to do what is needed to change course. 89 seconds to midnight – the closest it has ever been to catastrophe. By comparison, in 1990, at the end of the so-called Cold War, the clock stood at 10 minutes to midnight. Their urgent message is clear: bold leadership is needed to address the grave threats posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, and the misuse of biological science and emerging technologies.
Esteemed guests,
Today, as tragic events abundantly demonstrate, the international strategic landscape has never been so complex, uncertain and threatening. The risk of nuclear catastrophe is greater than at any point since the Cold War. International law is being undermined. Fundamental norms are eroding. We are witnessing a regression into a world governed not by law, but by brute power – a world sliding into a dangerous new nuclear arms race.
Regarding nuclear risk, the war in Ukraine, now in its third year, looms over the world. It is a conflict that could escalate to nuclear confrontation through miscalculation, accident, or reckless decision-making. Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East and the recent clashes between India and Pakistan – both nuclear powers – underscore the terrifying risk of how quickly conflict can escalate to the point of a nuclear exchange.
Nuclear-armed states are expanding the size and role of their arsenals, pouring hundreds of billions in weapons that can destroy civilization. The architecture of arms control is collapsing. High-level dialogue between nuclear powers is woefully inadequate given the stakes. Alarmingly, even non-nuclear nations are now considering developing arsenals of their own. Actions that threaten the global non-proliferation regime and increase the ways in which nuclear war could start.
It is no longer sufficient to speak out against nuclear weapons in Sunday speeches alone. We must confront the dangerous belief that nuclear weapons can be used, even won with. Over 12,000 nuclear weapons exist today – thousands of them on permanent alert – while global conflict risks are rising. We must urgently demand nuclear dialogue.
Esteemed guests,
The Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo, established in 1956, represents the hibakusha: survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These individuals are the living testament to the horror of nuclear warfare. By awarding them the Nobel Peace Prize last December, the Nobel Committee draws attention to the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of August 1945.
Nihon Hidankyo broke the silence. They gave voice to the unspeakable. They help us to describe the indescribable, to think the unthinkable and to understand the incomprehensible pain and suffering caused by nuclear weapons. Their testimony has galvanized global opposition to these weapons of mass destruction.
The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the first nuclear detonation in New Mexico, and the over 2,000 tests that followed worldwide, all demonstrate the same truth: nuclear weapons cannot be used without causing catastrophic intergenerational harm.
The Nobel Peace Prize recognition also marks a hopeful milestone: it has been 80 years since nuclear weapons were last used in war. This enduring restraint is thanks to the tireless work of organizations such as Nihon Hidankyo, the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, and the authors of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto. Together, they helped to establish what has been called the nuclear taboo. But we must recognize: this taboo is under pressure today.
Esteemed guests,
Let me leave you with the words of Terumi Tanaka, co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo and a survivor of Hiroshima, who was just 13 years old when the bomb fell. Speaking at the Nobel ceremony, he said:
“It is the heartfelt desire of the hibakusha that, rather than depending on the theory of nuclear deterrence, which assumes the possession and use of nuclear weapons, we must not allow the possession of a single nuclear weapon. […] I therefore plead for everyone around the world to discuss together what we must do to eliminate nuclear weapons, and demand action from governments to achieve this goal.”
As a peace platform, we stand with Nihon Hidankyo. We reject blind faith in nuclear deterrence, and we support the United Nations’ Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Today’s geopolitical tensions offer a stark warning. If we wish to be an empathetic society, it is our duty to work hard toward these goals mentioned by Nihon Hidankyo. Now is not the time to lower our ambitions.
Esteemed guests, thank you for your attention.