Summary
On July 1 (Saturday), 2017, the “Celebrating Event for the Minamata Convention on Mercury – Voice from Minamata towards the Entry into Force –” was held in Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture, in commemoration of the entry into force of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, co-hosted by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, Kumamoto Prefectural Government, Minamata Municipal Government and the United Nations Environment Programme.
The Event featured speeches by Mr. Erik Solheim, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, and H.E. Mr. Fernando Lugris, Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Mercury, as well as “voices from Minamata” by the people of Minamata including Mr. Hiroshi Nishida, Mayor of Minamata City, who expressed expectations for the Minamata Convention on Mercury and their hope for a world free from mercury pollution.
Part 1
Opening Address by Mr. Yoshihiro Seki, State Minister of the Environment, Japan
Mr. Seki offered hearty congratulations on the forthcoming entry into force of the Minamata Convention on Mercury and expressed his gratitude for the efforts of many people involved. He emphasized Japan’s leadership in global mercury management initiatives and its resolution to support developing countries and achieve a global “mercury minimum” environment.
Opening Address by Mr. Erik Solheim, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme
Mr. Solheim first thanked the relevant organizations and people of Minamata for their efforts on the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and said how impressed he was at the power of Minamata disease patients he had met earlier in the day. He affirmed his commitment to contributing to the success of eliminating mercury pollution worldwide under the Minamata Convention on Mercury and turning the tragedy of Minamata into hope.
Opening Address by Mr. Toru Tajima, Vice Governor of Kumamoto Prefecture
As a host of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Minamata Convention on Mercury held in 2013, Mr. Tajima welcomed the Convention and expressed his hope that the global efforts towards reducing mercury would be accelerated to ensure that a tragedy like Minamata Disease would never happen again, as suggested by the name of the Convention. On behalf of Kumamoto Prefecture, he expressed his commitment to communicating the experience and lessons of Minamata Disease to the world and taking various measures to create a mercury-free society.
Video Message from Mr. Marc Chardonnens, Director of the Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland
Mr. Chardonnens commented that the Minamata Convention on Mercury would mark the beginning of a new era in the protection of the earth and people, and show a common way forward to protect human health and the environment. The Government of Switzerland considers it a great honor and pleasure to host the first Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury and looks forward to working in collaboration to make mercury history.
Video Message from Dr. Naoko Ishii, CEO, Global Environment Facility
Dr. Ishii mentioned that the Minamata Convention on Mercury enables actions to be taken to fulfill the wishes of Minamata victims to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. However, many challenges remain that require us all to work together to find viable solutions. She expressed a resolution to encourage all countries to ratify the Minamata Convention on Mercury to make this a truly global effort, and emphasized the commitment of GEF to assisting governments around the world.
Messages from Minamata Junior High School students
Eight students of junior high schools in Minamata came on stage and gave the following messages to the world. “Bring the world without tears by mercury.” “Prevent child labor from mercury-related works.” “Call the people in the world to visit Minamata to learn about mercury.” and “Protect people in the world with Minamata Convention.”
Part 2
Commemorative speech by H.E. Mr. Fernando Lugris, Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Mercury
H.E. Mr. Lugris thanked everyone working on the Minamata Convention on Mercury and said that he was honored to celebrate this historical moment together with people of Minamata. He mentioned that we were moving to right direction to confront the threat of mercury to human health and the global environment, and praised the Convention for enabling us to fight, saying that he would be pleased to discuss ways to make mercury history in cooperation with people of Minamata at the first Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
Minamata Talk: Mr. Hiroshi Nishida, Mayor of Minamata City
Mr. Nishida explained the background to the ongoing programs to learn about Minamata disease and environmental protection activities, which were started to enable children of Minamata to take pride in their hometown. He was confident that the Minamata Convention on Mercury would benefit people around the world and become a source of pride of Minamata citizens.
Minamata Talk: Mr. Katsuaki Miyamoto, Previous Mayor of Minamata City
Mr. Miyamoto said nothing is more important than health and life, and hoped that the Minamata Convention on Mercury would make people around the world stop and think about the importance of putting top priority on lives and guide them live a fulfilling life.
Minamata Talk: Mr. Masami Ogata, Storyteller of Minamata Disease
Mr. Ogata mentioned that upon the entry into force of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the lives of those who died of mercury poisoning would gain greater importance, and emphasized our responsibility for building firm foundation under the Convention to ensure such a tragedy never happens again, for the wellbeing of the next generation. He also argued that people of Minamata should take pride in making Minamata disease known widely to the world as an important lesson through the Convention and expressed his belief that the Convention will save many precious lives around the world.
Minamata Talk: Video Message from Ms. Hitomi Sonohata, Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer
Ms. Sonohata talked about the environmental educational activities on waste management she has been conducting in Panama City for local children and communities, and commented on the difficulty of properly disposing of waste containing mercury in a country where waste is not even sorted. She also pointed out the importance of taking action when implementing the Convention to share information on Minamata disease and the risk of mercury with people around.
Minamata Talk: Ms. Yukina Arita, Student of Minamata High School
Ms. Arita talked about her experience of realizing how her daily life is connected with the world when her picture was chosen for one of the tumblers distributed among participants of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Minamata Convention on Mercury. This experience increased her environmental awareness and motivated her to take action, locally at first, for the environment as a citizen of Minamata, an environmental model city. She expressed her hope that all people would take a greater interest in environmental issues.
Minamata Talk: Ms. Claudia Ten Have, Interim Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury
Ms. ten Have expressed her thanks for the opportunity to meet Ms. Arita who painted the picture inserted in the tumbler which was given to her at the Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Minamata Convention on Mercury, saying that she was impressed at how a small experience could have such a meaningful impact. She also said that she recognized the word “Minamata” as having a positive meaning, representing the people of Minamata who have faced the problem so courageously, and expressed her determination to work with them to make mercury history.
Minamata Talk: Mr. Hiroshi Nishida, Mayor of Minamata City and All Other Presenters
They emphasized the importance of fostering young leaders in order to create a world free from mercury pollution, adding that not only local people of Minamata but also all visitors to Minamata from around the world are assets of Minamata and precious human resources for the world. Then they introduced the mercury management facilities in Minamata together with the beautiful natural environment, and expressed the hope that many more people would visit Minamata to learn more about the importance of environmental protection and mercury management.
Closing Remark by Dr. Yasushi Mochizuki, Director General, National Institute for Minamata Disease
Dr. Mochizuki said that the Event renewed his awareness of the power of Minamata and called on all people to continue to listen to the voices of Minamata about the importance of mercury management. On behalf of the National Institute for Minamata Disease, he expressed his resolution to work closely with international society to help create a “mercury minimum” environment.