NAGASAKI -- Kazuo Ishiguro, Nagasaki-born winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature, sent Sunday a message to the city of Nagasaki, in observance of the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city.
Ishiguro, a 65-year old naturalized British citizen, lived in the city until he was 5 years old. He along with his mother, Shizuko, who died last year at 92, is a hibakusha, survivor of the atomic bombing.
The following is the full text of Ishiguro's message dated Sunday:
This is the anniversary of a terrible event. But this milestone also marks seventy-five
years during which time there has been no repeat of what was inflicted on the people
of Nagasaki that day. My mother, then a teenager in the city, was able to go on to
enjoy a long peaceful life. So this is an anniversary that brings triumph and hope, as
well as horror and sadness. Let us not forget how fragile our civilization remains. And
in our current, troubled times, let us not forget the importance of international
cooperation and understanding that has brought us safely through these years. Let us
remember the huge dangers that continue to threaten us, and the supreme value of
human life.
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