The legacy of nuclear war and the power of reconciliation: Iranian student delegation travels to Hiroshima (2)

On their final day in Hiroshima, the students visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which features exhibits that trace the history of the city from the events leading up to the atomic bombing and continuing through to the devastation and widespread suffering that followed. After viewing the exhibits on a tour led by the museum's deputy director Shuichi Kato, Dr. Dehshiri reflected on what he called the emotional, political, and social aspects of the museum. "The motto we forgive but not forget has been evident in this museum. I think that the Japanese would like this event to remain in the memories of all human beings," said Dr. Dehshiri.

While the name Hiroshima is indelibly linked to the world's first atomic bombing, upon the conclusion of the exchange trip many students remarked that they were able to deepen their understanding of the city and the legacy it represents. "Before we came here, everyone was talking about how the United States bombed Hiroshima. My expectation was to see a very dreadful city and disaster, but what I'm seeing is progress," said Shahireh. "This trip will give us a better view and overlook of what is going on in Japan, so maybe next time when we come back as diplomats, we have a better view of Japanese people and how to interact with them."

Dr. Dehshiri also found that his perception of Hiroshima evolved after visiting the city. "My image of Hiroshima has changed in the fact that previously this city was the base for military operations and now it became the symbol for peace," said Dr. Dehshiri. "I think that Hiroshima did a lot for reconstruction and I did not expect that this kind of progress could happen after the bombardment of this city during WWII. Therefore, I think this can serve as a lesson for the post-conflict societies."

Some students also saw the potential for Hiroshima to serve as an example for other regions dealing with modern conflict. Saeed Ghorbani noted that Hiroshima "could be a good model for other cities in the world, including those located in Middle East. Of course no other city [outside of Japan] has the experience of being attacked by atomic bombs, but some other bombardments including chemical weapons have happened in many parts of the world, including in my home country, so this kind of experience can be conveyed and transferred to other communities."

When reflecting on the lessons learned from their time in Hiroshima, other students drew from the themes of the UNITAR sessions and emphasized the need for international cooperation to contend with increasingly complex challenges both in the Middle East and worldwide. "In today's world in many cases it is necessary for countries to collaborate," said Mohammad Hassan Khazeni. "Having the political will to solve conflicts and challenges is important."

Sarah Taheri also took a broader lesson from her time in Hiroshima, stating that "peace in the context of Hiroshima is respect to all people's lives and learning the art of living together." She also observed certain similarities between Japan and Iran, noting that "Japan is a country that has succeeded in combining modernization and tradition, and it was very interesting for me to visit this country and see its people and its culture." 

Other students commented that the city of Hiroshima could serve as a concrete reminder of peace for other countries engaged in conflict. "When I visited Hiroshima, I formed an understanding about the concept of positive peace," said Alireza Hashemi, noting the importance of learning from history. However, more recently he also observed that "now tensions in the world are escalating and people in the world, in these sensitive circumstances, need to be more aware of the consequences of war and work together to promote positive peace. I hope that people around the world visit Hiroshima."

Alireza Jalali also emphasized the importance of Hiroshima's legacy. "I think that the whole city is a symbol of peace" given the people's decision to reconstruct the city and move past the violence of war. He concluded by remarking that "this spirit of the Japanese is valuable for all nations, among other nations, that the life changed to the better situation. It can be changed, even after the atomic bomb."

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