Archbishop Etienne, bishops commend awarding of Nobel Peace Prize to atomic bombing survivors

SEATTLE — The Partnership for a World Without Nuclear Weapons, a Catholic coalition which includes the Archdiocese of Seattle, is lauding the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s selection of Nihon Hidankyo for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.

The Nihon Hidankyo, also known as hibakusha, is the Japanese organization of survivors of the U.S. atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

“As a group dedicated to disarmament, our Partnership for a World Without Nuclear Weapons draws inspiration and energy from their work,” Seattle Archbishop Paul D. Etienne said in an Oct. 16 statement. “We commend the hibakusha for their dedication to campaigning for peace and nuclear disarmament.”

The Partnership for a World Without Nuclear Weapons aims to “building a voluntary international network to protect all life and the environment from all forms of nuclear harm,” it said in a news release. The group began in 2023 on the 78th anniversary of the atomic bombing with a signed agreement between the bishops of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, Archdiocese of Seattle, the Diocese of Hiroshima and the Archdiocese of Nagasaki to work toward nuclear disarmament.

Those bishops also commended the Nobel committee on their choice, with Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe noting that it comes at a “time of heightened geopolitical tension.”

“The survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings continue to put a human face on the tragedy of war and, specifically, the tragedy and immorality of nuclear weapons, which have increased in number and lethal force,” Archbishop Wester added.

Calling the award “wonderful news of hope” as the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings approaches, Archbishop Michiaki Nakamura of Nagasaki said, “The award is the fruit of the efforts of atomic bomb survivors who have dedicated their lives to continue to educate the world about the reality of the atomic bombings.”

Bishop Mitsuru Shirahama of Hiroshima extended a thank you to the hibakusha and praised their “commitment to ensuring that the same inhuman tragedy will never be repeated.”

Read the complete statement from the Partnership for a World Without Nuclear Weapons here.

Archbishop Etienne and Archbishop Wester led a Pilgrimage of Peace to Japan in 2023. While there, they met with Catholic bishops, reporters and members of Nihon Hidankyo. Learn more about the trip on the Pilgrimage of Peace website.