Mayor Akiba visits City of Ypres in Flanders Field

January 20, 2005

Mayor Akiba visited the City of Ypres for the first time on January 20th 2005. The City of Ypres was almost completely destroyed at the end of World War I in  1918. It was also the first city where chemical weapons were used in 1915.

The mayor of Hiroshima and the president of the Hiroshima City Council were warmly welcomed and paid a visit to the Peace Museum, Menon Gate and City Hall.

The City of Ypres has taken leadership in Belgium and abroad to promote peace and tolerance. Mayor Luc Dehaene has also taken leadership to promote the 2020 Vision with his Belgian colleagues.