My name is Jay-vee Marasigan Pangan, but you can call me V. I am from the Philippines and I am a peace volunteer at ANT-Hiroshima, a partner organization of ICAN in Japan. I am here to share with you my passion for nuclear disarmament and the importance of emphasizing the destructive power of war and nuclear weapons. From baking cookies to making TikToks, we redefined approaches to reach young audiences.

Words matter, especially in campaigns that aim to promote peace and justice. But there is another threat, and that is “forgetting”. Despite the progress we’ve made, the fight against nuclear weapons and war can still feel like an uphill battle. Some people view the use of nuclear weapons as a thing of the past, confined only to the history books of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But as a peace activist, I know that nuclear weapons are not just relics of the past – they represent a future that we cannot afford to accept.

Starting conversations about nuclear disarmament can be challenging, particularly when we exclude the voices of young people and marginalized communities. As an LGBTQ+ Filipino journalist and peace activist, I am driven to bring attention to these issues. My own experiences with discrimination and injustice have given me a unique perspective on the importance of social justice, and I am committed to being a voice for those who may feel excluded or silenced.

Fortunately, my work has seen some success. My peace work has been covered and published by various media organizations such as, NHK, Asahi Shimbun, Chugoku Shimbun, Hiroshima TV, among others.

We engaged with the community in creative ways, such as organizing a stamp rally peace game for Japanese children and their parents, and baking Christmas cookies in the shape of the ICAN logo and A-Dome, all while discussing the importance of nuclear disarmament.

We even used social media platforms like TikTok to spread awareness during the ratification and first-year anniversary of the TPNW.

These activities may seem small, but they are crucial in ensuring that the message of peace and nuclear abolition reaches diverse audiences, including the younger generation.

I have also had the privilege of interviewing Filipino comfort women and Japanese atomic bombing survivors, and have moderated an investigative journalism webinar with speakers from Reporters Without Borders, ABS-CBN, J-Forum (Japan Forum), Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) , and Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.

I’ve had the privilege of co-organizing and moderating the webinar Nukes Outlawed: The Future Without Nuclear Weapons, which took place just a week before the ratification of the TPNW.

I’ve also hosted livestreams during the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, where I shared the stories of hibakujumoku, and Nagasaki, where we talked about the book The Day the World Decided to Say No to Nuclear Weapons, as well as co-organized parallel campaigns and events during Nuclear Ban Week in Vienna, Austria.

Now, I am an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree student of Journalism, Media, and Globalisation at Aarhus University in Denmark, specializing in Totalitarianism and Transition at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.

I recognize that there is still much work to be done. I remain committed to using my voice and skills to advocate for a world free of nuclear weapons and to uplift the voices of those who have been impacted by war and violence.

Ultimately, my goal is to tell stories that capture the human experiences, values, and intersectional issues that are often overlooked in discussions about nuclear disarmament and war. I am humbled by the voices of war victims and I am committed to ensuring that their stories are not forgotten. As a member of the youth community, I believe that we have a responsibility to echo their calls for peace and justice, and to work together to build a future that is free from the destructive power of nuclear weapons and war. And we need to understand the urgency of now and why nuclear disarmament cannot wait for tomorrow.