Following the recent announcement that Pope Francis will be visiting Japan next year, it is hoped that he will visit the A bomb sites in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and call for support for the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
This could help boost support for the Treaty, which is currently 31 states away from ratification and passing into international law.
The Pope is a vocal critic of nuclear weapons, and the Vatican has already ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. If the Pope were to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki to express support for the nuclear ban, this could further encourage the 1.23 billion members of the Roman Catholic Church to urge their states to also ratify the ban.
CND welcomes the news of Pope Francis’ visit, and adds its voice to the survivors and campaigners hoping that the Pope will use this opportunity to continue to spread his anti-nuclear message.
To encourage the UK to sign the global ban and guarantee a safer world for everyone, sign our petition today.
Images credit: Casa Rosada, Salisbury CND