“Hiroshima, Nagasaki Never Again” echoes across 65 events in 24 statesAugust 25, 2022
On the 77th anniversary of the atomic attacks against Hiroshima (August 6) and Nagasaki (August 9), people participated in at least 65 commemoration events spread across 23 states and DC, most of them local and in-person, in addition to several virtual events. If you participated in one of them, thank you!
There are many ways to commemorate these tragedies, and the events this year included webinars, candlelight vigils, a children’s peace fair, testimony from hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors and their children), film screenings, live music, dedication of a Hiroshima Peace Tree, peace lantern ceremonies, ringing of church bells, trainings, art exhibitions, presentations, rallies, and a commemorative tea ceremony.
In solidarity with other commemorations around the world, these diverse events made for an impressive outpouring of concern over everything that is wrong about using — or threatening to use — nuclear weapons, including the injustice.
What do all these commemorations have in common? Striving to strengthen the 77-year old global taboo against nuclear weapons, and bringing us all back to the center of this mission — to abolish nuclear weapons. Hiroshima/Nagasaki, never again!
At least eleven PSR chapters organized or co-sponsored commemoration events. See below for event photos:
On August 8,Remembering Hiroshima & Nagasaki: Building Toward Nuclear Justice at the Japanese American Historical Plaza at Waterfront Park in Portland, OR. The event was cosponsored by 36 groups. Yukiyo Kawano, Advisory Board member of Oregon PSR and 3rd generation hibakusha. She is an artist who’s work focuses on the lasting attitudes towards the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Portland photos: Rich Iwasaki
Portland Taiko drummers perform
Oregon Marshallese Community Association Youth Dance Troupe
Lanterns for Peace in Madison, Wisconsin.
Photo: Hannah Mortensen
PSR Wisconsin Executive Director Hannah Mortensen
All ages making lanterns. Photo: Hannah Mortensen
All ages making lanterns. Photo: Hannah Mortensen
The “Raging Grannies.” Photo: Hannah Mortensen
On August 7, Ann Suellentrop, RN of Kansas City PSR presented at Remembering Hiroshima & Nagasaki: Never Again! This event was at the entry to the Kansas City National Security Campus, where some 85% of non-nuclear parts are made for the US arsenal. The event was cosponsored by PeaceWorks Kansas City and Veterans for Peace
From Hiroshima to Hope, August 6, an annual lantern-floating event at Seattle’s Green Lake. Photo: Nancy Dickeman
From Hiroshima to Hope preparing to launch lanterns. Photo: Laura Skelton
From Hiroshima to Hope on Green Lake. Photo: Martha Brice
San Francisco Bay area groups, including Tri Valley CAREs and SF Bay PSR, organized a hybrid live and streaming 90 minute event titled Making the Unthinkable Impossible, which aired on Aug. 6 & 9. Andrew Kodama of Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center emceed the event from the gates to Lawrence Livermore weapons lab.
In her segment of the livestream, Tova Fuller, MD, PhD, SF Bay Area PSR Vice-president and co-chair of PSR’s Committee to Abolish Nuclear Weapons referred to the twin existential threats of nuclear war and climate change. Tova encouraged viewers “to educate and meet younger individuals where they are with their priorities, to think about how these existential crises affect them specifically now and in the future, to provide context about the intersectionality with issues that they are already active on.” Watch the entire event here
August 6 in Lewiston, members of Maine chapters of PSR, Veterans for Peace, Peace Action, PeaceWorks and Pax Christi gathered for an event at the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge, re-named in 2008 by former Lewiston mayor Laurent Gilbert, a friend of Dr. Lown.
Doug Dransfield MD, a board member of the Maine Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility (seen here with Dr. Lani Graham) spoke on the urgency of eliminating nuclear weapons.
On August 8, Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action organized a “flash mob” demonstration against Trident nuclear weapons at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor in Washington state. Thirteen demonstrators were cited by authorities for blocking the Main Gate to the base during Monday morning rush hour. The base is homeport to the largest concentration of deployed nuclear warheads in the U.S. Photo: Karol Milner
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