FAQ
Q How did the World Conference of Mayors for Peace get started?Q What kind of organization is Mayors for Peace?
Q What is the relationship between Mayors for Peace and the 2020 Vision Campaign?
Q How many cities are affiliated?
Q Why are there only two Mayors for Peace cities in Japan?
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Q How did the World Conference of Mayors for Peace get started?
A In the 2nd Special Session of UN General Assembly on Disarmament held at UN Headquarters in New York on June 24, 1982, mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki appealed to city mayors of all nations to cut out a way toward solidarity between world cities reaching beyond national borders, and abolish nuclear weapons, thus setting up the Conference of Mayors for Peace.
World Conferences of the organization are held every four years. The first was held in 1985. In 2001, the World Conference decided to make the organization a membership organization and officially shortened its name to Mayors for Peace. The most recent World Conference was held in Hairoshima in 2005 on the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing. The next will be in Nagasaki in 2009.
Q What kind of organization is the Conference of Mayors for Peace?
A The Conference of Mayors for Peace involves cities all over the world that approve of the Program to Promote the Solidarity of Cities toward Total Abolition of Nuclear Weapons. In March 1990, the Conference registered with NGO Section of UN Department of Public Information, and in May 1991, with UN Economic and Social Council (as Category 1 NGO).
Q What is the relationship between Mayors for Peace and the 2020 Vision Campaign?
A The 2020 Vision Campaign is the main vehicle for advancing the goals of Mayors for Peace. It was initiated on a provisional basis by the Executive Cities at their meeting in Manchester, UK, in October 2003. It was launched under the name, Emergency Campaign to Ban Nuclear Weapons in November of that year at the 2nd Citizens Assembly for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons held in Nagasaki, Japan. In August 2005, the World Conference endorsed continuation of the Campaign under the title of 2020 Vision Campaign.
At that World Conference, support was expressed for the establishment of an International Secretariat for the Campaign in Europe. The City of Ypres (Ieper) Belgium offered to host the Campaign Secretariat. Campaign work began in May, 2006, and the Secretariat was officiall open by the President of Mayors for Peace in July 2006. As of June 2007 the office is staffed full-time. Funds solicited from member cities in Belgium are supporting the basic operation of the Secretariat.
The Campaign Secretariat is responsible for implementation of the 2020 Vision Campaign. To this end, it works in close coordination with the Hiroshima Secretariat and the Executive Cities. It manages this website. The International Campaign Manager answers directly to the President of Mayors for Peace.
Q How many cities are affiliated?
A As of June 15, 2007 the network involves 1,651 cities in 120 countries and regions around the world.
Almost every day new members register with the Maors for Peace. It might take some weeks to update the website with new affiliated cities. Thank you for your patience.
Q Why are there only two Mayors for Peace cities in Japan?!
A When, 25 years ago, the Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki announced their intention of forming Mayors for Peace, they were determined to create a truly international organization. They had to be particularly careful about the organization becoming immediately swamped by many Japanese members. This might give the impression that it was a Japanese organization with “a few international friends.” So they decided to restrict membership in Japan to just the two atomic bombed cities. This proved to be a wise decision.
For Japanese cities, it was agreed that Nagasaki would head up a national network of cities against nuclear weapons. That network now has over 250 members.
Since membership in Mayors for Peace is now over 1600 and there are over 200 members in two European countries (Germany and Belgium), discussions are underway on how to count the Japanese national membership together with the Mayors for Peace international membership.
There will be a special announcement when this comes to pass.
