The symposium was sponsored by Hiroshima City University's Hiroshima Peace Institute and was attended by an audience of about 250.

The three panelists from overseas explained the position of Hiroshima in their countries. Martin Sherwin, professor of history at Tufts University said, "Hiroshima confirmed that the atomic bomb was a special sort of weapon. It marked the beginning of nuclear diplomacy." He went on to describe the history of nuclear deterrence theory.

Professor Bu Ping, deputy director of Heilongjiang Social Sciences Academy in China said, "It is important for Chinese who look at Nanking to look also at Hiroshima." Dr. Sook Jong Lee, research fellow at Sejong Institute in South Korea, said, "We need to make a deliberate effort to exchange our memories of the war." Shifting perspectives from aggressor to victim, he emphasized Hiroshima's role in the process.

Regarding the effectiveness of any message from Hiroshima, Mr. Kazumi Mizumoto, associate professor at Hiroshima Peace Institute, pointed out, "Until we truly feel sympathy for the victims of contemporary conflicts and listen to their voices, the world will not listen to us."

Kiichi Fujiwara, professor in the Graduate School of Law and Politics, University of Tokyo said, "Hiroshima's message is supported by fear of the use of nuclear weapons. The smaller the chance that one might become a hibakusha oneself, the weaker the message becomes." In his summary he emphasized that, "The task of sharing the memory of war and the A-bomb is essential."

(Caption)International symposium exploring ways of transmitting the memory of Hiroshima.