NAGASAKI — The following is the gist of the Peace Declaration read Friday by Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue at a ceremony to mark the 74th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city.

— The atomic bombs were built by human hands and exploded over human heads, therefore can be eliminated by an act of human will.

— The present world situation involving nuclear weapons is extremely dangerous, and the danger of a nuclear calamity is mounting.

— As a collection of small voices, civil society groups have shown the power to change the world. The power of a single individual is small but by no means weak.

— All the nuclear states should recall the meaning of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

— The United States and Russia should assume responsibility as nuclear superpowers by demonstrating to the world concrete ways to drastically reduce nuclear stockpiles.

— Japan must sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as soon as possible, and as a means to that end, it needs to initiate efforts to make Northeast Asia a nuclear-free zone.