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2 million youth back Buddhist call for Nuclear Weapons Convention

Two Million Youth Call for Nuclear Weapon-Free World, By Soka Gakkai  NEW YORK, May 12, 2010 – On May 11, a petition of 2,276,167 signatures from youth calling for the adoption of a Nuclear Weapons Convention which would comprehensively ban nuclear weapons was presented to Ambassador Leslie B. Gatan, adviser to the president of the ongoing Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ReviewConference, and UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Sergio Duarteat the New York Culture Center of the SGI-USA Buddhist association.The signatures, collected between January and March 2010 by youth members of Soka Gakkai in Japan, were presented by Youth Peace Committee leader Kenji Shiratsuchi who stated: “Each of these signatures embodies the heartfeltcommitment and effort of a young person. We urge you to start debate on a Nuclear Weapons Convention at the earliest opportunity.”

In a message, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda commented that the signatures
represent valuable dialogues for peace and symbolize the immense power that
lies hidden in the depths of seemingly ordinary people…………

Results of a survey on youth attitudes toward nuclear weapons carried out
by SGI youth in six countries, which showed that 67% of respondents see the
use of nuclear weapons as inadmissible under any circumstances, were also
submitted to the UN………..

Soka Gakkai International is a Buddhist association with 12 million
members in 192 countries and territories. It has a 50-year record of efforts
toward the abolition of nuclear weapons. In 2007, SGI launched the People’s
Decade for Nuclear Abolition. See http://www.peoplesdecade.org

Two Million Youth Call for Nuclear Weapon-Free World

May 13, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, Religion and ethics | antinuclear, nuclear weapons, peace, peaceful