Working toward Peace

Working toward Peace

Takayama City Peace Day

Takayama is an international tourist city which many people from all over the world visit each year. As shown in the United Nation's slogan of "Tourism, Passport to Peace" the promotion of cultural understanding via tourism plays an important role in world peace. The UN designated September 21st as the International Day of Peace and requests that member countries make efforts toward world peace. In response to this, Takayama City designated September 21st as the "Takayama City Day of Peace" in 2013.

"Bonds of Peace" Monument

As a symbol of peace in Takayama, the city established this monument on September 21, 2014 in the open space in front of city hall. With a basic concept of "kizuna" (a bond), it shows "fureai" (a bond between people), "nukumori" (a bond between humans and nature) and "hirogari" (a bond between cities).

Declaration of Takayama City as a "City of Peace"

On March 24th, 2017, Takayama City declared itself as a City of Peace so that the citizen of Takayama can inherit the importance of peace to the next generation, indicate our will both at home and abroad to contribute to the realization of world peace, and realize the society without a war so that people in the world can live without any worries.

March 24, 2017
Declaration

Takayama City, set in a rich natural environment epitomized by the Hidamountain range, has fostered festivals, artisanal skills, and other aspects of traditional culture,and as an international tourist cityit values its connections with others.
The city has designated the International Day of Peace as the "Takayama City Day of Peace" to proclaim the message of eternal peace from Hida Takayamato the entire world.
However, the reality is that conflict, terrorism, and famine continue unchecked in many parts of the world, and we still face the threatof nuclear weapons.
It isour hope that a world in which all people everywhere can live securely in peace will surely come, and we will workto this end.
These things we have learned from the past, and will pass on to the future:
The tragedy, futility, and terror of warand nuclear weapons, and the value of life.
These things we will continue to protect:
The abundance of the natural world, our proud traditional culture, and the bonds between people.
These things we value:
Understanding and respecting diverse cultures.
We, the citizens of Takayama, hereby declare that Takayama City will forever be a City of Peace.

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Our Efforts to Achieve Peace

 

• Joined the Mayors of Peace in May 2010, and began working to achieve eternal world peace.
• In friendship agreements with Sibiu, Romania in September 2012 and Urubamba, Peru in August 2013, the city added the clause that Takayama aims to achieve world peace. Takayama also promotes international relationships with other cities, such as with its sister city Denver, U.S.A. and its friendship city Lijang, China.
• In September 2013, the city designated September 21st, the International Day of Peace, as the “Takayama City Day of Peace.”
• In September 2014, the city established a “Bonds of Peace” monument in the open space in front of city hall as the city’s symbol of peace. Midday of September 21, for the “Takayama City Day of Peace” and the “International Day of Peace,” bells are rung simultaneously each year via the cooperation of local government offices around the city and Buddhist temples.
• Takayama City Mayor Michihiro Kunishima held the “Takayama Peace Summit” in October 2015 by inviting Kazumi Matsui (Mayor of Hiroshima City) and Tomihisa Taue (Mayor of Nagasaki City) to discuss peaceful endeavors.
• In July 2016, the city planted a second generation tree seedling taken from the atomic bombed Hiroshima “Phoenix Trees” in Showa Children’s Park. The seedling was given to Takayama by the Mayors of Peace (President: Mayor of Hiroshima City) at the Takayama Peace Summit.