For two teenage sisters, a chance meeting with an atomic-bomb survivor during a volunteer project proved to be a fateful encounter that would lead to them starting a nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing young people to call for a world without nuclear weapons.
Founded in 2022 by twins Manon and Kanon Iwata, 16, the group called Teens 4 Disarmament & Nonproliferation now has five chapters located in the United States, Japan and Ukraine.
Two years ago, the Japanese-American teens, soon to be 11th graders at their all-girls high school in Pasadena near Los Angeles, took part in a visit to patients at a facility for elderly people.
There, they met with Bill Ota, a survivor in his 90s of the nuclear attack on Hiroshima, one of the two Japanese cities hit by U.S. A-bombs in the closing days of World War II.
After some time, Ota began to open up about his childhood and share his experience as a survivor.
He told the sisters that on Aug. 6, 1945, the day that the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, he was meant to be celebrating with friends who had gathered for his 16th birthday.
As he and his friends left school, the bomb was detonated over the city, and only Ota survived. He recalled the final words of one of his friends, who said, "I am so glad you made it."
The girls said listening to his tale was heart-wrenching, making them both sad and angry.
Still filled with guilt at being the lone survivor among his friends, Ota, now 95, asked the girls to promise to strive to create a world free of such destructive weapons.
"When we saw his cheerful personality and outlook to life, even after what had happened, we felt more encouraged, and I want to say, more obligated to help his wish and help the hibakusha," Kanon said.
Since that meeting, the sisters have dedicated themselves to taking steps to fulfil the wishes of Ota and other hibakusha and protect their own and future generations from the threat of nuclear war.
Manon, who likes science and research, and Kanon, who prefers speech and debate, have worked on everything from educating youth about nuclear weapons to creating a "Peace Forum" at their high school.
Their stated goal on their website is to inform future generations about the testimonies of A-bomb survivors, saying the greatest potential impact lies in educating the future decision-makers in society.
"It's important that our whole generation is educated about this topic, so we can make informed decisions about these mass destructive weapons. That's why youth, for us, was a main priority," said Kanon.
Their goal is in line with a 2023 request made by the U.N. General Assembly to U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres to explore youth involvement in disarmament and nonproliferation. Guterres's report was the first to explore the topic.
The Iwata sisters hope first to create an impact in their local community.
Manon revealed that they were in talks with a local legislator in their hometown and had called for introducing education on nuclear weapons in local schools.
In May, the twins created a peace forum as an extracurricular activity at their high school to educate students about nuclear disarmament.
At the forum, they shared the account given by Ota to the roughly 15 students and others in attendance. An expert on disarmament and nonproliferation also gave a lecture.
"It's our mission and our goal to spread more testimonies of hibakusha to many other students," stressed Kanon, adding that she saw "a genuine empathy for Mr. Ota" from those who attended.
The sisters have met Japanese high school students who share their desire for nuclear abolition and visited Hiroshima twice. They have also interacted with young people in Ukraine, which faces the threat of nuclear weapons due to Russia's invasion, and a local branch of their organization has been established there.
This year marks the 79th year since the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The survivors have either grown old or already passed away and need people to carry on their legacies.
From September, their own school will invite A-bomb survivors to give lectures and also begin incorporating the history and effects of nuclear weapons in U.S. history classes.
The Iwata sisters have shared the experiences and thoughts of about a dozen hibakusha on their website and via social media.
Many people in the United States believe that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki hastened the end of World War II and saved many American lives. But Manon said that few people of her generation even know about the atomic bombings.
"I think by listening to these stories, people take a second to think, and they try to process it through themselves as well," Manon said, adding that this self-reflection is what they hope motivates people to think about these issues more critically.
