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| A hundred thousand people were killed by the atomic bomb. Survivors wonder why they lived when so many others died. |
Nuclear Remembrance days: 75th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombings.
2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the detonation of nuclear bombs during World War II in Hiroshima (August 6) and Nagasaki (August 9). There will be official commemoration ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki organised by these cities, was well as actions and events organised by civil society in Japan and around the world.
Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the official ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki will be invite only (to restrict numbers and allow for physical distancing) but can be watched live online. A number of other commemoration events will be run online as video conferences or live-streamed events.
See below for information on the Hiroshima and Nagasaki ceremonies plus other key international commemoration events. For more detailed information see Nuclear Remembrance and Action Week Aug 1-9 2020, which includes international events and suggested nuclear disarmamament actions to commemorate the 75th anniversaries of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki ceremonies
The official Hiroshima commemoration ceremony will take place on Thursday August 6 from 8:00am-8:50am Japan time. Click here for information on how to watch the ceremony on livestream. The UN Secretary-General is expected to either attend the event or provide a video message if pandemic conditions prevent his attendance. For more information see Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony and Notice regarding Hiroshima Memorial 2020 ceremony procedures in light of COVID-19 pandemic. The official Nagasaki commemoration ceremony will take place on Sunday August 9 from 11am-12pm Japan time. Click here to watch the ceremony on livestream. For more information see Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony
Peace Wave
From August 6 at 8:15am, the time that the nuclear bomb was detonated over Hiroshima, until August 9 at 11:02am, the time the nuclear bomb was detonated over Nagasaki, peace activists around the world will undertake individual and/or group actions as part of a ‘Peace Wave’. You can join the peace wave by undertaking your own small, creative, social media action from home or interesting location, or joining an action in your community. For more information and to register your action, please visit Peace Wave 2020.
International Fast
Every year since 1984, a small group of peace campaigners from France and Germany have fasted from August 6 until 9 in commemoration of the nuclear bombings and to call for the global abolition of nuclear weapons. In recent years, they have been joined by fasters in the Ivory Coast, New Zealand, UK and USA. This year, in the light of the Coronavirus pandemic and its devastating consequences, the fast will also highlight the many millions around the world threatened by malnutrition or famine, while governments continue to spend $100 billion per year on nuclear weapons and $1.9 trillion per year on weapons and war. Participants in the Fast will donate the money they would on food during that time to organizations or charities helping to feed the destitute. You are invited to join the fast. Contact Dominique Lalanne (France) or Marc Morgan (UK).
2020 World Conference against A and H Bombs
Every year Gensuikyo (the Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs) holds a world conference against A and H Bombs in Japan in conjunction with the commemorations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Days. The theme for the conference this year is “With the Hibakusha, Let Us Achieve a Nuclear Weapon-free, Peaceful and Just World – for the Future of the Humankind and Our Planet” Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 world conference will be held by a series of webinar sessions from August 2 until August 9. There will be three main sessions (2 hours each) on August 2, 6 and 9, plus some additional special sessions. For more information including the draft program see 2020 World Conference on A and H Bombs.
Youth Peace Week and UN International Youth Day
Youth Peace Week is from August 3rd to 9th 2020. Originally established in New Zealand as Schools Peace Week with the support of the New Zealand government, the week spread to other countries. This year it has been broadened to Youth Peace Week as it only suits schools in the Southern Hemisphere (schools in the North are mostly on summer break). The theme this year is Celebrating Diversity. For more information and to register your youth action, see Youth Peace Week, visit the Youth Peace Week facebook page or contact the Youth Peace Week coordinator. Abolition 2000 also encourages those commemorating UN International Youth Day on August 12, to ensure that peace and nuclear disarmament are included as themes to your action or event.
Ribbon 2020 – Tangible hope for No nuclear war
The Ribbon International was founded as an artistic event to commemorate the Hiroshima and Nagasaki anniversaries. On August 4, 1985, fifteen miles of Ribbons encircled the Pentagon and other important monuments: With the message of “What I cannot bear to think of as lost forever in a nuclear war”. The Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima was also encircled. Various other Ribbon events have taken place since then. On August 1st 2020 at 10:00 am (EDT), The Ribbon International will hold a Ribbon 2020 memorial event by Zoom. You are invited to join the event with your friends/family. Hold your Ribbon in front of the Zoom screen, and pray for a nuclear free world. For details see The Ribbon International 2020 event, or contact The Ribbon International
Other events and event Calendars
The above, and other international events are listed on the Abolition 2000 events calendar. National and local events are listed on the FCNL Nuclear Calendar, World Beyond War events calendar and Hiroshima Nagasaki 75 events page (USA), Terminkalender (Germany) and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Events (UK). We encourage you to check these calendars.
