Luanda: The Angolan ambassador to Japan, Teodolinda Rosa Rodrigues Coelho, participated on Sunday in Nagasaki in the ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing of the Japanese city in 1945, during World War II.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the ceremony took place in Nagasaki Peace Park and was attended by the Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, Japanese government officials and politicians, members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the country, representatives of international organizations, survivors of the bombing, and relatives of the victims.
In the Declaration of Peace, the Mayor of Nagasaki, Shiro Suzuki, highlighted the testimonies of the survivors and the profound physical and psychological damage caused by the use of nuclear weapons, with appeals for the preservation of the memory of the victims and the transmission to new generations of the consequences of these events.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in turn, reaffirmed Japan's commitment to peace and efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons, with a realistic and practical approach in the field of nuclear disarmament.
The participation of the Angolan diplomat in the ceremony reaffirms Angola's commitment to promoting peace, dialogue, and international cooperation, as well as global efforts in favor of nuclear disarmament and the prevention of new conflicts.
On Saturday, August 8, Teodolinda Rosa Rodrigues Coelho also visited the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, a space created in memory of the victims and survivors of the atomic bombing that occurred in 1945.
The museum preserves documents, objects, and testimonies about the impact of the bombing and constitutes an important space of historical memory, with the purpose of transmitting to new generations the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons.
Among the objects on display are personal belongings of the victims, damaged clothing, toys, and a clock that stopped at the moment of the explosion-testimonies that preserve the memory of the tragedy that marked the city's history.
Before visiting the museum, the Ambassador of Angola and members of the diplomatic corps from 98 countries participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial in honor of the victims of the atomic bombing. Over the decades, Nagasaki has become a global symbol for the defense of peace and the need to prevent the repetition of tragedies caused by the use of nuclear weapons.
The preservation of the memory of the events of 1945 constitutes, in this sense, an appeal to present and future generations for the promotion of dialogue, international cooperation, and the construction of a world free from the nuclear threat.
Nagasaki was the target of a nuclear attack on August 9, 1945, at 11:02 AM, during World War II. The bomb, made of plutonium and codenamed "Fat Man," was dropped three days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The explosion caused tens of thousands of immediate deaths and left profound human and material consequences in the city.
By the end of 1945, the death toll in Nagasaki approached 74,000 people, as a direct result of the explosion, injuries, burns, and exposure to radiation.
The survivors of the atomic bombings of Japan, known as "hibakusha," have faced health consequences associated with radiation exposure over the decades, in addition to social and psychological impacts.
