Some 20 people attended this annual evening event associated with the Hiroshima Day Coalition — about 15 local Quakers and 5 guests. Two main speakers presented reports from the peace movement.
Monique Cuillerier, Membership and Communications Director of the World Federalist Movement spoke on the ‘David vs Goliath’ lawsuit filed by the Republic of the Marshall Islands in 2 courts (International Court of Justice, Hague; and U.S. Federal Court, San Francisco) against 9 nations for violation of Article VI of the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The little islands are challenging the U.S., U.K., Russia, China, France, Israel, India, Pakistan, and North Korea. I urge you all to support the Marshall Islands in their courageous effort. Learn more at NuclearZero.org.
Bill Bhaneja read 'Message on the 69th Anniversaries of the Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,' by David Krieger, President and founder of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.
Dr. Krieger wrote about Sadako Sasaki, a girl who survived the Hiroshima atomic bomb but died 10 years later from leukemia at age 12. Her story about making 1000 origami paper cranes for a good luck wish has become a peace legend spread by her classmates, and memorialized around the world with monuments, books, articles, and videos (movie, documentary, cartoon).
Though Sadako Sasaki is lesser known and promoted than Anne Frank, her story is simpler and relates directly to nuclear war. Do not forget her or the hope symbolized by her paper cranes.
Our annual ritual of walking to the Rideau River and floating candle-lit lanterns was aborted due to rain and wind. We returned home with renewed resolve to stop nuclear madness.
More
- Hiroshima Day Coalition : Across Canada Events, Ottawa ON
- Amy Goodman. Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 69 Years Later. TruthDig. Aug. 7, 2014.
- Noam Chomsky. ‘How many minutes to midnight? Hiroshima Day 2014,’ in TomGram: Why National Security Has Nothing to Do With Security, TomDispatch.com, Aug. 5, 2014.
- 2013 August 10 — May the Third Atomic Bomb Never Come
- 2012 August 17 — Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- 2011 August 8 — Memorial of 1945 Nuclear Bombing of Japan (Photo album)
- 2009 August 6 — Photo Album by Physicians for Global Survival, Ottawa.
- 2009 August 3 — Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembrance August 2009
(Message to the Hiroshima Day in Castlegar, BC, August 6, 2009)
