Future Action Festival on Nuclear Abolition and Climate Crisis Held in Tokyo
On March 24, some 70,000 youth gathered for the Future Action Festival, held at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, calling for immediate action on the abolition of nuclear weapons and the climate crisis. Sharing a commitment to the creation of a peaceful and sustainable future, 28 partner and supporting organizations, both NGOs, including SGI youth in Japan, and UN organizations, cooperated in the preparation of the festival. It was also supported by many private sector sponsors. The Organizing Committee of the Future Action Festival issued a joint statement on nuclear abolition and the climate crisis to be submitted to the Summit of the Future to be held at the UN Headquarters in New York in September.
The statement was based on the results of a survey administered by the Organizing Committee and responded to by some 120,000 people across Japan. Rector of the United Nations University and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Tshilidzi Marwala received the statement and delivered a speech in which he stressed the importance of youth participation in tackling global issues.
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier and ICAN Executive Director Melissa Parke sent video messages to the event. Also live music, dance performances, and a panel discussion on nuclear abolition and sustainability were featured. A livestream of the event was viewed by over 500,000 people.