Child's Play to End Nuclear War
by Craig and Marc Kielburger, November 30, 2006

Sadako Sasaki was only 2 on Aug. 6, 1945 — the day the atomic bomb was dropped on her city of Hiroshima. In an instant, the bustling city of 350,000 lay in ruins. Buildings were flattened, trees were destroyed and tens of thousands lay dead as an intense blast of heat engulfed the city. In a single moment, everything changed. But Sadako was one of the lucky ones. She survived the devastation to become an energetic, athletic child. But at the age of 11, she began to experience dizziness and fatigue. Soon after, Sadako was diagnosed with leukemia — a result of radiation exposure from the bombing. That's when she learned of a legend that said if a person folds 1,000 paper cranes in the traditional Japanese art of origami, their deepest wish would come true. Sadako began making cranes with the hope of being able to run again. Even when her condition worsened, she never stopped making cranes. But despite her hope, Sadako passed away the following year.

That courage and defiant spirit were an inspiration for Japanese youth, and the paper crane became a symbol of their collective dream: to never again witness the same destruction.

More than half a century later, their dream is as relevant as ever. North Korea’s reportedly successful nuclear test in October has once again sparked global anxiety over nuclear arms. While the international community’s response has been swift – the United Nations levied tough sanctions against North Korea, and Canada has dispatched its ambassador to the reclusive country – the potential threat is far from over. David Krieger, president of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and an outspoken advocate for disarmament, believes that if the current standoff can be resolved peacefully, it could pave the way for arms reduction. And if diplomacy helps us recognize nuclear weapons as a threat to humanity, the current crisis could even be turned into opportunity, he says.

“We could emerge from this crisis in a far better position to end this threat is the greatest terror the world faces.” Krieger believes the looming crisis can be averted if the U.S. takes the lead in convincing North Korea to halt its nuclear program in exchange for security assurances and development assistance.

The UN also needs to be more active in encouraging enforcement of treating aimed at the total elimination of nuclear weapons, he says, “What must take the place of threat or force is continuous dialogue with the goal of resolving even major differences between nations.” Otherwise, millions of people will suffer in another arms race.

North Korea has one of the world's most isolated economies. According to the UN, 37 percent of its children are chronically malnourished. At the same time, Kim Jong-il's government spends an estimated $5.5 billion (all figures U.S.) on its military — money diverted from health, schools and communities toward building weapons. And North Korea is not alone — eight other countries are known or suspected to have nuclear arms. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation points out that in the U.S., for every dollar spent by the government on children's health care, $1,600 is spent on its nuclear weapons. And China spends $35 billion every year on defense, even though 150 million of its people live on less than $1 a day. This is part of a worldwide trend. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported this year that global military spending now surpasses $1 trillion annually — that's more than $90 million per hour. Every dollar spent on weapons to kill people is one not spent on improving their lives. So challenging North Korea's nuclear ambitions provides an opportunity for all of us to reexamine our priorities and ensure that money is spent in the right places. For the first time in history, we have the resources to fully end global poverty. But that won't happen if we continue spending enormously on weapons of mass destruction. We need to speak out and challenge our leaders to change these misguided policies.

In Hiroshima, there is a statue of Sadako in the city’s Peace Park. It shows her arms raised to the sky, holding a golden crane. Inscribed at the statue’s base is the wish made by the children who keep her memory alive: “This is our cry, this is our prayer: peace in the world.”

As individuals and as a global community, we have the power to make this wish come true.