Addressing an audience of about 350, Professor Mahdi Elmandjra (69) of University Mohamed V (Morocco) pointed out that the U.S. retaliatory strikes are part of its effort to force its sense of values on others. He said, "We must respect diversity. The old colonialist drive to control others' values must be sloughed off."

Joseph Cirincione (52), Director of the Non-Proliferation Project at the Carnegie Endowment said, "President Bush does not represent the majority of the American people. Hiroshima needs to keep sending its message to help push U.S. government towards a policy change." Touching on the issue of emergency defense legislation, Mitsuru Kurosawa (57), Professor of the Osaka School of International Public Policy at Osaka University, urged Japan's government to "reflect on Japan's slavish conformity to U.S. policy and move to make Japan a truly nuclear-free country."

Since January of this year, Yumiko Nogami (29) of Asakita-ku has been visiting schools in the U.S. as a volunteer with the Never Again Campaign to tell students the facts about the atomic bombing. Nogami said, "'Hiroshima' is a negative legacy, but at the same time it is the starting point of hope. I feel it is very important to talk about it."