An international conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education has opened in Nagasaki.

Nagasaki, one of the two cities that suffered the atrocity of an atomic bomb, is a host to an international conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education.

Angela Kane, United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, said,"We are today at an important juncture. Ten years has passed since the adoption of the United Nations study on disarmament and non-proliferation education 2002. This anniversary provides an excellent opportunity to review disarmament and non-proliferation efforts"

Participants from over two-dozen countries and international organizations will debate on drafting and implementation of disarmament education. Most participants agreed on a key role, civil society plays in strengthening understanding on weapons of mass destruction. The question is what can be effective.

Nobutaka Sawada, Deputy Director of Arms Control And Disarmament Division, Japanese Foreign Ministry, said, "We believe that, we need to make more efforts in widening our approach beyond inter government dialogue, to the civil society in strengthening advocacy for disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons"

One initiative by Japanese Foreign Ministry is Commissioning Hibakusha, the survivors of the atomic bomb, as a messenger of peace to attract public interest.

Kathleen Sullivan, Phd & Director of Hibakusha Stories, said, "There is nothing more important than the voice of Hibakusha. Hibakusha are the living history. They bring the horror and the hell of the nuclear weapons to the present moment."

Participants say it will be time consuming efforts, but also a race against the clock. Global tensions on nuclear issues grow by the day, and continued international dialogue for disarmament is essential.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry is looking to host such forum regularly. Hoping that Japan would become the epicenter for the disarmament of nuclear weapons and no other country would suffer the consequences of nuclear attack as Japan did 67 years ago.