Call for your participation in the
"International Youth Rally: Let Us Get Rid of Nuclear Weapons"

Dear all young people in the world and Japan desiring a peaceful world without nuclear weapons,

We will organize the "International Youth Rally: Let Us Get Rid of Nuclear Weapons" in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 2005, the 60th commemoration of the A-bomb tragedy.

Now, many governments, local autonomies and peace groups are actively working, determined to abolish nuclear weapons, so that the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki should never be repeated. In cooperation with these efforts, the International Youth Rally will provide young people with an opportunity to build strong public opinion, campaign and solidarity to achieve the 21st century without nuclear weapons.

In the 2004 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, a representative of the Mouvement de la Paix proposed the International Youth Rally, which was supported by many peace organizations, including the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) of UK and other European, US and our neighboring Korean organizations. These groups have already started to prepare for sending their youth representatives to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in this August.

As the youth of the only atomic bombed country in the world, we the Japanese youth, are making our utmost efforts for the success of this event as a forum to develop solidarity and cooperation to achieve the 21st century free of nuclear weapons, responding to the expectations from the youth around the world.

It is we, young generation, people's opinion, campaign and development of grassroots movements in each country that will determine the current of the 21st century. The year 2005, the 60th anniversary of the A-bomb tragedy, should become the year of our actions to emancipate the human beings from the fear of nuclear weapons, by strengthening solidarity among the world youth wishing for the abolition of them.

We sincerely call on all young generation around the world and in Japan to join in the "International Youth Rally: Let Us Get Rid of Nuclear Weapons." With the catchword "Abolition Now!" let's develop our creative activities such as pre-gatherings, peace marches and signature campaign and bring their outcome to the International Youth Rally and the 2005 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs.

December 16, 2004
The 1st Meeting of the Preparatory Committee,
International Youth Rally: Let Us Get Rid of Nuclear
Weapons.

Agreement

In the summer of the 60th commemoration of the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the "International Youth Rally: Let Us Get Rid of Nuclear Weapons" will be held in the two cities. We are going to take the following activities for the success of the Rally and its associated events, and for the development of international solidarity among the youth for a world without nuclear weapons.

1. We will prepare the program of the International Youth Rally in Hiroshima on August 4 and in Nagasaki on August 8 in cooperation with the youth groups overseas joining these events. Also we will actively join the preparation of various youth programs during the 2005 World Conference against A & H Bombs, working together with its Organizing Committee.

2. We will inform the youth all over the world and Japan, including university and high school students, of the International Youth Rally, and call for their participation. We will encourage local people to form their own preparatory bodies or networks in prefectural and grassroots levels to promote their participation.

3. We will promote learning and discussion activities among various youth groups or in local levels all over Japan to spread our voices and actions to abolish nuclear weapons to youths, college and high school students.

4. To rally and express young people's wishes for peace, we will join many campaigns to spread the voice "No more Hibakusha", including the signature campaign "Abolition of Nuclear Weapons, Now!" initiated by the World Conference. We will send many Japanese youth representatives to the NPT Review Conference in New York in May.

5. For the success of the International Youth Rally and its associated events, we will consider production and distribution of various promotion kits and launching of calls for supports, cooperation and fund-raising campaign.

6. On the occasion of the 2005 March 1st Bikini Day, we will organize a pre-gathering of the International Youth Rally, in the afternoon of February 27, calling on many Japanese youth, especially in Shizuoka and neighboring prefectures, to join the event. We welcome overseas participants in this pre-gathering.

7. The secretariat of the Preparatory Committee of the International Youth Rally will be located in the office of the Organizing Committee of the World Conference against A & H Bombs and it will coordinate the activities of the Preparatory Committee. It will send out all necessary information and make contacts through the mailing list or other means.

December 16, 2004
The 1st Meeting of the Preparatory Committee,
International Youth Rally: Let Us Get Rid of Nuclear
Weapons.