This summer, we again will welcome the Hibakusha – the living survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings – to our community.
Most Hibakusha are in their 70s and 80s, and they fear that as the memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki fades, the likelihood that nuclear weapons will be used again will grow. They embrace the special responsibility to the world to tell their painful, deeply personal stories of hell on earth so that nuclear weapons are abolished and never used again.
The atomic bombings serve as a warning to humanity of the genocidal character of nuclear weapons, and illustrate the compelling need for international agreements for their abolishment. Each August we pause to remember the anniversary of the annihilation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and renew our commitment to realizing a world free from the threat of nuclear war. We seek to link our work for nuclear disarmament with our opposition to militarism, social injustice and environmental degradation.
In addition to hosting the Hibakusha, the Hiroshima/Nagasaki Peace Committee will be sending a community delegation to the World Conference Against A & H Bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, consisting of Michele and Rick Tingling-Clemmons, and youth delegate Anesa Sheila Mirza.
The Hiroshima/Nagasaki Peace Committee is entirely a labor of love. Volunteers are needed to provide transportation, post fliers, make banners and signs, and dozens of other tasks. Tax-deductible contributions are critically needed, but the most important contribution you can make is to participate actively in at least one of the commemoration programs.
What: Annual Hiroshima Remembrance "Prophetic Voice of the Hibakusha," with a children's program and survivor testimony
When: Saturday, Aug. 5, from 6 to 9 p.m.
Where: Constitution Gardens (just east of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial near the Reflecting Pool)
What: Annual Nagasaki Candlelight Vigil to mark the exact anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing
When: Tuesday, Aug. 8, at 9:30 p.m.
Where: Lafayette Park (16th and H Streets NW)
More Info: John Steinbach at 703/822-3485 or johnsteinbach@starpower.net
