Cork Humanitarian Adi Roche Calls for Nuclear Disarmament at Hiroshima 80th Anniversary Commemoration

Cork-based humanitarian Adi Roche has delivered a passionate plea for global peace and nuclear disarmament at a solemn national ceremony marking 80 years since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

Speaking today at the commemoration in Merrion Park, Dublin, the Chernobyl Children International CEO highlighted the devastating human cost of nuclear weapons, noting that over 214,000 people died in the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, including 38,000 children.

The ceremony, organised by the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (ICND) where Roche serves as Vice-President, marks exactly eight decades since the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, followed three days later by the bombing of Nagasaki.

Adi Roche, CEO of Chernobyl Children International:

"Such enormous numbers of victims, estimated at over 214,000, can be overwhelming. Buried in that awful statistic is the child victim figure of 38,000… a horrendous number of innocent, lovely children, boys and girls who suffered horrific, painful deaths. The survivor's world changed forever with the devastating consequences of the bombings. Survivors 'envied' the dead, leading us to realise the true inhumanity of nuclear weapons."

Roche, who has been an active voice for peace and justice for over 45 years, warned that nuclear escalation remains a clear and present danger in today's world, citing recent attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities as evidence of ongoing threats.

Adi Roche:

"Current tensions around the globe show us that nuclear escalation is not a relic of the Cold War, but an increasing clear and present danger. Recent attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities is a very real example of such danger. We are regressing into a world in which the 'rule of law' is replaced by the 'rule of power,' with a destabilising new nuclear arms race. There can be no compromise on the issue of nuclear weapons...we either put an end to nuclear weapons, or they will put an end to us."

The commemoration featured speeches from Norimasa Yoshida, Deputy Head of Mission and Chargé d'Affaires at the Japanese embassy in Ireland, and Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor John Stephens. Musical performances and poetry readings accompanied the formal proceedings.

Diplomatic representatives from numerous countries, including Ukraine and Japan, attended the ceremony alongside officials from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. The event concluded with a wreath-laying at the memorial cherry tree in Merrion Square.

Adi Roche:

"In remembering the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we are called to act and to reaffirm our commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We renew our pledge to build a world where nuclear weapons have no place."

The commemoration comes less than a year after the Hibakusha, the survivors and victims of the atomic bombings, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2024 for their decades-long efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons and promote global peace.

Roche's Chernobyl Children International organisation has worked for decades supporting victims of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, making her a prominent voice on the lasting impacts of nuclear radiation on human populations, particularly children.

The anniversary serves as a stark reminder of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, with speakers emphasising that the threat of nuclear conflict remains relevant in contemporary global politics.