We are pleased to announce the publication of Assembling Peace Through Dialogue, a collaborative report by The British American Security Information Council (BASIC), the PCU Nagasaki Council for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (PCU-NC), and Nagasaki University’s Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (RECNA).
This report is the culmination of eight months of work to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Young researchers from five continents, who worked across three international working groups, were brought together to address some of today’s most pressing security challenges and to ensure the memories of the Nagasaki Hibakusha are preserved. Their papers explore the governance of AI in nuclear systems, the preservation of Hibakusha memory for future generations, and the links between nuclear weapons and climate change.
In Focus Group One, our young researchers explore the potential pros and cons of integrating AI into nuclear systems. They argue that proactive international governance and sustained dialogue are essential to ensure the responsible development of AI.
In Focus Group Two’s paper, storytelling is identified as a way to keep the experiences of the Hibakusha alive. They found that Hibakusha testimonies, which convey lived experience, intergenerational trauma, and calls to action, are among the most powerful tools available, alongside the voices of young people who have already shown their ability to translate complex risks into compelling narratives through climate activism.
Focus Group Three argues that nuclear weapons and climate change are deeply interconnected threats that are too often treated in isolation. Nuclear exchanges could trigger catastrophic climate disruption, while climate change itself increases the vulnerability of nuclear infrastructure. Yet communicating this link remains difficult due to technical complexity and fragmented public discourse.
80 years have passed since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While nuclear weapons have not been used in warfare since, we hope this report is a timely reminder of what is at stake and the stories of the Nagasaki Hibakusha.
Read the report below:
