Director of Exhibitions, Liv Astrid Sverdrup, unwrapping the personal belongings left by victims of the 1945 nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, showing for the first time in Northern Europe. (Photo: Johannes Granseth)

As part of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Exhibition, Ban the Bomb, the Nobel Peace Center presents five personal artefacts left by victims of the 1945 nuclear bombs, showing for the first time in Northern Europe. These artefacts bear silent witness to the devastating impact of the nuclear bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the lives that were lost and forever changed.

The personal belongings are presented in the exhibition alongside a unique photo series by internationally acclaimed visual artist Sim Chi Yin about the current nuclear threat, and a tribute to Nobel Peace Prize winner ICAN and call to action to engage in the work against nuclear weapons.

“These artefacts left by victims of the 1945 atomic bombs bear silent, but strong, witness to the devastating impact on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and above all on the human beings that were living there. We are very grateful for the generous loan of the artefacts from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and the Kyoto Museum for World Peace”, says Liv Tørres, Director at the Nobel Peace Center. “This is the first time that artefacts from Hiroshima and Nagasaki are presented in Norway and we hope that these personal and telling artefacts will move people’s hearts and inspire debate on nuclear weapons.”

The artefacts include a bag, a hood, a lunch box, a rosary and a wrist watch.

• The first artefacts are a school bag that contains an air raid hood that belonged to Yukitoshi Masuda, a 13-year-old boy who was working at a building demolition worksite in Hiroshima on the morning of August 6^th, and went missing after the horrendous blast. His father searched for him in the city for a week, but never found his son. The only remains was Yukitoshi’s bag that had been found and delivered to the family by a neighbor.

• A lunch box belonging to another student, Yuso Ikuta, was found at the demolished site in Hiroshima where he was working together with 180 students from his school. Their bodies were in such condition that they were difficult to identify, or even burnt to ashes, but Yuso’s mother identified his lunch box as it contained the burnt remains of the food his mother had made for him that fateful morning.

• A rosary will also be displayed that was found in the ruins of a house 500m from the hypocenter of the Nagasaki nuclear bomb explosion. The rosary is a reminder of the thriving Catholic community that resided in the city before the nuclear bomb destruction.

• The last object is a glaring reminder of how quickly life can change in a minute. It is a wrist watchthat was found in the ruins of a house only 600 meters from the epicenter of the explosion. It stopped at 11:02 am, the exact time that the nuclear bomb exploded over Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.

“These objects touch every part of your being. They show us that the destruction of the nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki first and foremost hit individuals, like Yukitoshi and Yuso. Each object tells a unique story and is a strong reminder of the horror of nuclear weapons.”, says Liv Astrid Sverdrup, Director of exhibitions at the Nobel Peace Center.

(N.Sethu)

Yagawa Mitsunori of Yagawa Piano Studio with ICAN International Steering Group Member Kawasaki Akira (seated) Photo Courtesy Peace Boat

Oslo, Norway – December 7, 2017 – Nobel Peace Prize Concert organizers today announced that one of the six existing “Hibaku Pianos,” a remarkable collection of pianos which survived the atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, will make a special appearance at the 24th annual event in Oslo, Norway on December 11th at Telenor Arena, honoring the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

The Yamaha upright piano, built in 1938, was exposed to the atomic bombing at a private home in Ujina, Minami-ku, Hiroshima City, 3km from the hypocenter. The owner donated the piano to Yagawa Mitsunori, a 66-year-old noted piano tuner/technician of Yagawa Piano Studio, who specializes in restoring pianos that were exposed to the Hiroshima bombing, and is also a second-generation atomic bombing survivor. Mr. Yagawa has restored the piano to be able to be used in performances, while keeping its condition as close as possible to its condition at the time of the bombing. The piano has featured in many concerts throughout Japan, as well as at a series of events in New York in 2010.

“Music has no borders,” said Yagawa Mitsunori, who tours across Japan, playing the piano at peace concerts. “I hope that people hearing the timbre of the Hibaku Piano at this concert will be an opportunity for them to reflect upon the preciousness of peace, and the horror of nuclear weapons.

This piano has experienced the tragedy of the atomic bombings. Therefore, there is a message which only it can convey. As a second generation Hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor) in Hiroshima, and as a piano tuner, continuing this is my life’s mission.”

“We are privileged to be able to present one of the Hibaku Pianos at this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Concert,” said the concert´s producers Odd Arvid Strømstad and Kristian Kirkvaag. “Yagawa Mitsunori’s lifelong dedication to preserving the pianos that survived the atomic bomb at Hiroshima and spreading a message of peace is singular, and we’re honored to share his life’s work at the Concert.”

Internationally acclaimed actor, producer and activist David Oyelowo will host the 24th Annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert with headliner John Legend, Danish band Lukas Graham, Swedish singer/songwriter Zara Larsson, Norwegian DJ/producer Matoma, Norwegian singer/songwriter Sigrid, and youth performance company Le PeTiT CiRqUe®

(Nobel Peace Prize Concert organizers , N.Sethurupan)

Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Prize-winning economist, has made the claim that bitcoin ‘ought to be outlawed,’ at a time when the digital currency is experiencing record highs.
In a Bloomberg Television interview, the 74-year-old American economist and professor at Colombia University, said:

It seems to me it ought to be outlawed. It doesn’t serve any socially useful function.

His comments come at a time when bitcoin is continuing to surpass expectations from all sides. Just yesterday, it was reported that the digital currency has passed the historic $10,000 milestone and today it went even higher to reach over $11,000 for the first time, pushing its market total to $185 billion.

Yet, despite these record achievements, Stiglitz is of the opinion that the only reason the digital currency is doing so well is down to the fact that it has the ‘potential for circumvention, lack of oversight.’

It’s a bubble that’s going to give a lot of people a lot of exciting times as it rides up and then goes down.

Stiglitz has, in the past, expressed his views about the digital currency, stating in 2016 that the U.S. government had ‘shut down‘ bitcoin. At the time, he said:

The main use of bitcoin has been to circumvent tax authorities and regulation. I think the U.S. government did the right of thing of shutting or trying to shut it down and I think effectively…it has done that.

Interestingly, since then his outlook toward the crypto market has somewhat shifted, if only slightly. In January, while speaking at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, he said that the U.S. should phase out fiat currency and move toward the use of digital currencies.

The topic of discussion at the time focused on the issue of corruption, tax evasion and tax avoidance. According to Stiglitz, the phasing out of money and introducing digital currency has ‘benefits that outweigh the cost,’ in the long term.

Harvard professor and economist Kenneth Rogoff has also said that cash provided the ideal avenue for tax evasion, and that the time was now to reduce fiat money.
No doubt Stiglitz’s most recent comments will raise a few eyebrows, and is unlikely to go down well bitcoin enthusiasts; however, given the upward trajectory that the digital currency is currently on, it’s not likely that it will have much impact on where the market is heading.

(N.Sethu)

MATOMA: Tom Stræte Lagergren, også kjent som Matoma. (Foto: Instagram)

Nobel Peace Prize Concert organizers today announced that Norwegian DJ/producer Matoma is confirmed for the 24th annual event in Oslo, Norway on December 11th at Telenor Arena, honoring the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Matoma joins an elite group of artists who have performed at the concert over the years, including Paul McCartney, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Sting, Andrea Bocelli, Tina Turner, Ellie Goulding, Kygo, A-ha and many others.

“I’m incredibly proud and honored to announce that I will be performing at this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Concert,” said Matoma. “I’ll be coming to Telenor Arena in Oslo on December 11 bringing some special guests, some surprises, and as always, some good vibes and love! The Peace Prize is all about spreading the love, and as you know that’s always been my message so I’m humbled and honored to be asked to perform at this beautiful and incredible concert.”

“We’re excited to have Matoma join this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Concert lineup,” said the concert´s producers Odd Arvid Strømstad and Kristian Kirkvaag. “In a time where Norwegian artists are increasingly establishing global careers, we are proud to welcome Norwegian Matoma who has had an amazing international breakthrough in the past couple of years.”

Matoma has made a huge impression on the worldwide music scene with his innovative playlist ‘Hakuna Matoma,’ showcasing his unique tropical house flair and featuring collaborations with a who’s who of global music stars – One Direction, Coldplay, Snoop Dogg, Jason Derulo, Jennifer Lopez, Dua Lipa, Sean Paul and more. Its tracks have accumulated a staggering one billion streams at Spotify alone. The collection also featured his first two UK hits which both received extensive airplay at Radio 1. ‘All Night,’ his collaboration with The Vamps, has sold over 500,000 copies domestically and is featured on their #1 album ‘Night & Day.’ It followed his first chart hit, the Silver-certified ‘False Alarm’ alongside Becky Hill.

Matoma’s rising star status is continuing to grow with the release yesterday (November 17) of his new track ‘Slow’ (featuring Noah Cyrus), followed by his second album ‘One In A Million,’ to be released March 9, 2018. Matoma will preview the album by embarking upon his ‘One In A Million’world tour in January, which will see him performing some of his biggest venues to date. The ‘One In A Million’ tour is certified carbon positive by CHOOOSE, an initiative that works with the United Nations to reduce the total carbon footprint and create a climate positive experience.

Matoma joins previously announced headliner John Legend, Swedish singer/songwriter Zara Larsson, Norwegian EDM superstar Alan Walker and Norwegian singer/songwriter Sigrid Raabe on the Nobel Peace Prize Concert lineup, with additional artists to be announced in coming weeks.

(N.Sethu)