Paper Lanterns tells the inspiring story of Shigeaki Mori, a Japanese atomic bomb survivor from Hiroshima who spent four decades searching for the identities of twelve American prisoners of war killed in the atomic bombing in Hiroshima, ultimately reaching out to their families to help them achieve some kind of closure to their family tragedies.
Though it inevitably touches on the horrors of nuclear war, the film also shows how reconciliation and even friendship can come about between former enemies, as Mr. Mori guides two victims’ family members around Hiroshima, explaining where and how their loved-ones spent their final days.
Co-hosted by UNIDIR and the Delegation of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament, this event on the margins the Second Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference will combine a screening of director Barry Frechette’s documentary and contributions from a wide range of experts, officials and participants in the making of the film.
Speakers
Opening:
- Opening remarks by Dr. Robin Geiss, Director, UNIDIR
- Welcoming remarks by H.E. Ms. Tomiko Ichikawa, Permanent Representative of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament.
- Introductory remarks by Honorable Mr. Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima
- Introductory remarks by co-producer of Papers Lanterns Ms. Nobuko Saito Cleary
Messages from key figures in the film and its making:
- Mr. Shigeaki Mori (protagonist)
- Mr. Barry Frechette (director)
Panel:
- Prof. William Potter, Senior Fellow, UNIDIR, and Director, Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies
- Ms. Mihoko Kumamoto, Director, Division for Prosperity, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
- Mr. Tomochika Uyama, Advisor to the Director General of the WTO
The event will be moderated by UNIDIR Fellow Tom Kono.
n.b. A light lunch will be served at 12:45pm (with the generous support of the Delegation of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament)
Film Trailer
When and Where
Tuesday, 23 July 2024, 1:00 to 2:45 pm CEST, in Room XXV, Palais des Nations, UN Geneva.
Participants
The event is open to attendees of the NPT PrepCom and to all others holding UN grounds passes.