August 6: the day the world changed forever

What happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, killing about 140,000 people and injuring hundreds of thousands more. 

Three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing about 70,000 people and injuring as many.

These attacks were the only ones in history to use nuclear weapons against civilian targets. They marked the end of World War II and the beginning of a new era in human history, marked by the nuclear threat.

Why should we care about nuclear weapons?

Since the end of World War II, several countries have developed their own nuclear weapons, increasing the tension and risk of a nuclear conflict. To avoid this, several efforts have been made to control the spread of nuclear weapons and promote disarmament.

However, there are still about 14,000 nuclear weapons in the world, some of them ready to be used at any time. In addition, some countries continue to develop or modernize their nuclear weapons, violating existing international agreements.

Therefore, today is a day to remember the victims of nuclear weapons and to reaffirm our commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons. It is a day to raise awareness of the dangers and impacts of nuclear weapons and to demand from our governments and leaders a responsible and peaceful attitude towards them.

How can we seek a world without nuclear weapons?

There are several movements and initiatives that seek a world free of nuclear weapons, such as:

• The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which promotes adherence to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which prohibits the development, testing, production, storage, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons by any country.
• The Humanitarian Initiative, which seeks to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian impacts of any use of nuclear weapons, and which advocates a global ban on these weapons based on international humanitarian law.
• The Nuclear Zero Initiative, which is a global campaign that seeks to mobilize world public opinion to pressure countries with nuclear weapons to negotiate a binding international treaty to eliminate all their nuclear weapons by 2030.

Conclusion

Nuclear weapons are the most powerful and dangerous weapons ever invented by human beings. They can cause massive and irreversible destruction, both in the short and long term. They can also generate a nuclear war that would endanger the survival of humanity and the planet.

Therefore, it is essential that people become aware of the risks and impacts of nuclear weapons, and that they demand from their governments and leaders a responsible and peaceful attitude towards them. It is necessary that countries that possess nuclear weapons commit themselves to nuclear disarmament and elimination of their weapons. It is necessary that countries that do not possess nuclear weapons refrain from seeking or acquiring them. It is necessary that all countries cooperate to prevent proliferation, accidents, terrorism and nuclear conflicts.

Nuclear weapons are not only weapons of war, but also symbols of hope and peace. They remind us of our ability to create and destroy, of our responsibility with present and future generations, of our need to live in harmony with other peoples and with nature. They challenge us to seek a more just, secure and sustainable world.

We have a choice: to live in a world with or without nuclear weapons. We have a voice: to speak in favor or against nuclear weapons. We have a chance: to act to build or destroy a world without nuclear weapons.

What choice will we make? What voice will we use? What chance will we take?

I hope you enjoyed it and learned something new. Thank you for your attention and see you next time.

By IDFM

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