Attend Hiroshima and Nagasaki commemorations in your area
Next week marks the 68th year since the U.S. atom bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, killing hundreds of thousands quickly, while dooming large numbers more to eventual early death from their exposure to hazardous ionizing radiation.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing commemorations are being organized across the country and world. For example, the following announcement below of events was put out by John Steinbach, coordinator for the Washington, D.C. Hiroshima/Nagasaki Peace Committee. Please seek out and attend Hiroshima and Nagasaki commemoration events in your area.
The Washington D.C. Hiroshima/Nagasaki Peace Committee has invited Beyond Nuclear staff to provide an overview and update on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear catastrophe at the Japanese American Memorial in Washington, D.C. next Monday. We will be honored and privileged to join again with Setsuko Thurlow, a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, who has been appointed by the Government of Japan as Special Communicator for a World Without Nuclear Weapons. Setsuko gave powerful testimony last December, at the "Mountain of Radioactive Waste 70 Years High: Ending the Nuclear Age" conference in Chicago, marking the 70th year since Enrico Fermi achieved the first nuclear chain reaction, and generated the first high-level radioactive waste, in the Manhattan Project's race to atom bomb Japan.
Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps was honored by the Washington D.C. Hiroshima/Nagasaki Peace Committee with the Josephine Butler Nuclear-Free Future Award in July, 2010.
"Dear Friends,
Please notice that the August 5 Hiroshima commemoration ceremony has been moved from the Lincoln Memorial to the Japanese American Memorial located at Louisiana Avenue and D Street, NW SWashington, DC.
For the past 32 years, the Hiroshima/Nagasaki Peace Committee of the National Capital Area has been organizing for the abolition of nuclear weapons and power, and in support of nuclear victims. We believe that if the world is to avoid repeating the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we must strive to keep alive the memory of the bombings.
This August we welcome Setsuko Thurlow. Setsuko was 13 years old when she was close to the hypocenter of the atomic blast that devastated Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945. She remembers vividly the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, and the hardships she and many survivors endured physically and mentally. As a survivor of the atomic bombing, she is strongly committed to tell the story of Hiroshima. Setsuko has been appointed by the Government of Japan as Special Communicator for a World Without Nuclear Weapons.
2013 Hiroshima/Nagasaki Events Calendar
Monday, August 5, 6:30pm
Hiroshima Peace Commemoration,
Survivor Testimony, Children’s Program, Candlelantern Building
Japanese American Memorial, Louisiana Avenue and D Street, NW WDC (Near Union Station)
Tuesday, August 6, 6pm
Baltimore Hiroshima Commemoration
6pm Potluck Supper & Program
Homewood Friends Meeting, 3107 N. Charles Street.
Sponsored by Baltimore Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee
Thursday, August 8, 9:45pm,
Nagasaki Candlelight Vigil-
(Moment’s Silencel at 10:02) in front of the White House
Friday, August 9, 7pm,
Frederick, Md Nagasaki Commemoration
Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ
15 West Church Street Frederick, MD 21701.
Sponsored by Frederick Women in Black
Contact John Steinbach 703-822-3485 <johnsteinbach1@verizon.net>"
Today, PeaceAction has put out the following "No More Hiroshimas!" alert. Please take action!
"In June, President Obama said, “so long as nuclear weapons exist, we are not truly safe.”
Yet nuclear disarmament is not at the top of the U.S. foreign policy agenda. You can take action to make it a priority: call on President Obama to act now.
Unfortunately, the administration has NOT yet agreed to:
• participate in the first ever September 26, 2013 United Nations High-Level Meeting on Nuclear Disarmament.
• participate in the United Nations working group on achieving a world free of nuclear weapons
Or even endorse UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Five-Point Proposal on Nuclear Disarmament. It is way past time to take these simple practical steps.
Every year, on August 6 and 9, the peace movement hosts events to mark the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We remind ourselves of the horrific events set off by a U.S. foreign policy premised on nuclear terror. We recommit to building a movement for nuclear free world.
This year we must do more to reach hundreds of thousands to press the administration to act now for a nuclear free world.
This year we can reach tens of thousands if you sign up for our Nuclear Free World Thunderclap.
If you sign up for our Thunderclap, tens of thousands will automatically get the message below on all of our Facebook pages and Twitter accounts on August 9 at 11:02AM, the time the bomb was dropped on Nagasaki:
Aug 9 1945 US A-bombed Nagasaki. Pres #Obama: Speak out at Sept 26 UN Nuclear Disarmament Summit! #NoMoreNagasakis http://nuclearfreefuture.org
Sixty-eight years after the horrific bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki let’s mobilize maximum pressure on President Obama, the time to act is now!
Power to the peaceful,
Judith Le Blanc, Peace Action Field Director
Peter Deccy, Peace Action Development Director
P.S. Peter and Judith are representing Peace Action at events in Japan to mark the 68th anniversary of the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Follow their travels on our Facebook and the Peace Blog."
PSR maintains a website compiling a listing of Hiroshima/Nagasaki commemorations taking place across the U.S. If your event is not currently listed, you can add it!
Here is an example of but one of many powerful commemorative events taking place:
San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace
Press release: July 28, 2013
For immediate release
Contact: Sherry Lewis, 805-503-9022
REMEMBER HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI! JOIN THE MOTHERS AUGUST 9
On the 68th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace will host a peace walker from Japan and an evening with three distinguished speakers, each offering visions for a nuclear-free future.
August 3 – 9 PEACE WALK
THE REVEREND GYOSEN SAWADA WILL WALK FOR PEACE FROM VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE TO THE GATES OF DIABLO CANYON. THERE HE WILL FAST AND VIGIL FOR PEACE August 7 – 9.
Members of the public are welcome to join him on any segment of his journey. Details are below.
AUGUST 9 COMMEMORATION:
THREE DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS WILL OFFER REFLECTIONS ON THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND NUCLEAR POWER
August 9, 7pm - 9 pm
Steynberg Gallery, 1531 Monterey Street in San Luis Obispo, California.
Donations to support the work of Mothers for Peace will be welcomed
Reverend Gyosen Sawada of Nipponzan Myoho-ji Temple will share his views on the connection between nuclear weapons and nuclear power. August 9 culminates his Peace Walk from Vandenberg AFB to the gates of Diablo Canyon and his 3-day fast there. Community members are encouraged to join all or part of the Peace Walk. See details below.
Chikako Nishiyama is a former government official from Fukushima Prefecture. She survived the earthquake and tsunami and has become a vocal opponent of nuclear energy.
Cecile Pineda will read from her powerful and poetic book - Devil's Tango: How I Learned the Fukushima Step by Step.
DETAILS OF THE PEACE WALK AND VIGIL
Aug 3 - Rev. Sawada begins Walk from Vandenberg 8-8:15 a.m. He plans to walk 16 miles a day along various roads leading to Guadalupe Road. (Contact Sherry, who will be on the walk to get more details on the route—805-503-9022). We will stay at the Guadalupe Catholic Worker House at night.
Aug 4 and 5 - The Walk continues.
Aug 6 - Hiroshima Day. People are invited to join Rev. Sawada in front of San Luis Obispo City Hall at 8 am for a moment of prayer and brief remarks. The Walk continues at 8:30 a.m. arriving at the gates to Diablo Canyon early evening. Rev. Sawada will begin a three-day Fast for Peace.
Aug 7 and 8 - Reverend Sawada will fast and vigil at Diablo Canyon, 8am - 5pm
Aug 9 - Nagasaki Day. Reverend Sawada will fast and vigil at Diablo Canyon, 8am - noon.
For more information, contact Sherry Lewis 805-503-9022