75th Anniversary Hiroshima Day
One-Hour Online Commemoration
Calling for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons
August 6, 2020, 8 p.m. Eastern / 5 p.m. Pacific
Hosted by the New Mexico 75th Anniversary of Hiroshima/Nagasaki Committee and Pace e Bene
For the last three and a half years, the New Mexico 75th anniversary Committee, with Pace e Bene, has been planning national in person vigils with great national and local speakers for August 6 and 9, 2020 at Los Alamos, New Mexico. Because of COVID-19, we have moved everything to a one-hour online event to commemorate Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
DATE/TIME
The online commemoration will begin 8 p.m. Eastern /5 p.m. Pacific, on Thursday evening, August 6, 2020. It will be hosted by Rev. John Dear, who has helped lead annual Hiroshima day peace vigils for the last nearly twenty years at Los Alamos.
SCHEDULE
We will begin with an opening blessing from Evelyn Naranjo of Pueblo de San Ildefonso. Then we will hear from Jay Coghlan of Nukewatch.org on the history of the Los Alamos labs, where the bomb was designed and fabricated, and how it continues to play the leading role in the creation of most U.S. nuclear weapons since then. Then we will hear a reflection of commemoration, remembrance and recommitment by Roshi Joan Halifax, longtime peacemaker and founder of Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe.
The keynoter speaker will be Dr. Ira Helfand, one of the leaders of ICANW, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, who will explain why we need to work harder then ever to build a global grassroots movement to abolish nuclear weapons. Then Archbishop John Wester, of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, NM, will speak about nuclear weapons and offer a blessing. John will close the call at the end of the hour.
This is event is organized by Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service and part of the online Campaign Nonviolence National Conference August 6-8, 2020. Be sure to join our August 7 & 8 events as well. Learn more and register here!
CO-SPONSORS
Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice - Albuquerque, NM
Beyond Nuclear - Takoma Park, MD
Boundless Love Project - Lakeville, MN
We focused our weekly group meditation on abolishing nuclear weapons. Our mindfulness talk on the subject is here.
The Benedictine Way - Omaha, NE
Planning a day of prayer and reflection
Casa Del Bodhi - Miami, FL
Center for Action and Contemplation - Albuquerque, NM
Community of Christ of the Desert - Tucson, AZ
Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety - Santa Fe, New Mexico
Planning an event on July 16, 2020, the commemoration of the first atomic test at the Trinity test site.
Dallas Peace and Justice Center - Dallas, TX
Eugene Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration - Eugene, OR
Planning a brief ceremony, in-person, at Alton Baker Park in Eugene at dusk.
Friends of Franz & Ben - Binghamton, NY
Our Hiroshima 75th Anniversary Event can be found at www.bcpeaceaction.org. August 6th, First Congregational church Main & Front St. Binghamton NY 8 AM. We will display grim photos of Hiroshima and Nagasaki victims. Open microphone. We need help to ring the huge church ground bell at 8:08 August 6th
Hope Out Loud - Hartford, CT
Holding a Peace Wave event on zoom on August 6, 2020 6:30 to 7:30 pm EST. Register here.
Meta Peace Team - Lansing, MI
Working on developing online violence de-escalation skills trainings to prepare people for potential peace team work.
Mustard Seed Affinity Group - Hayward, CA
Nevada Desert Experience - Las Vegas, NV
Our friends will be at the nuclear weapons proving ground (NNSS) and Peace Camp across the highway in Nye County. We'll also have a prayer service in Las Vegas.
New Mexico Raging Grannies - Santa Fe, NM
Nonviolent Austin - Austin, TX
Pax Christi Dallas - Dallas, TX
Pax Christi Michigan - Lansing, MI
Setting up a Zoom conference call to follow up this event with a "putting it all into action" conversation for PCM members and all those interested.
Pax Christi Northern California - Oakland, CA
Holding a Liturgy of Memory and Repentance for Hiroshima, Nagasaki & 75 years of the Nuclear Age. Saturday, August 8, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Pacific Time. Watch here.
Pax Christi Seed Planters/Illinois/USA - Crete, IL
Working on getting Back From the Brink Resolution in Chicago and Illinois (On-hold cause of Covid-19)
The Peace Ribbon: Pax Christi USA and a coalition of partner organizations are raising awareness of the imminent threat of nuclear weapons in our world today and reflecting on what befalls us if nuclear weapons were to ever rain down on the Earth again. This project, the Peace Ribbon 2020 aims to spur the imagination of all that would be lost if we succumb again to the use of a nuclear weapon.
PeacePractice - Charlottesville, VA
Peace Action of Broome County, NY - Binghamton, NY
Our Hiroshima 75th Anniversary Event can be found at www.bcpeaceaction.org
The Peace Farm - Amarillo, Texas
Prescott Peacebuilders - Prescott, AZ
Planning to show a show Peace Memorial and talk about a young woman who lives in Hiroshima.
Sister of the Religious of the Assumption - Chaparral, NM
Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium - Albuquerque, NM
VFP members will be tuning in from our annual convention
Veterans For Peace Connecticut Chapter 42 - New Britain/Newington, CT
Join the annual Hartford area Hiroshima/Nagasaki Remembrance: A Shared Call for Nuclear Weapon Abolition. August 6, 2020 at 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM EDT. Learn more here.
Veterans For Peace - Santa Fe Chapter, Santa Fe, NM
Planning the Veterans For Peace National Online Convention (Aug 2 through Aug 9, 2020)
VFP Golden Rule Project - Honolulu, HI
We will be sailing the Golden Rule peace boat in Hawaii to commemorate the U.S. nuclear bombings of the civilian populations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, and to oppose the RIMPAC naval war games in Hawaiian waters in August 2020.
War Resisters League, Chicago Chapter - Chicago, IL
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom - Tucson Branch - Tucson, AZ
Planning an event in August: Floating Peace Lanterns at Sunset / Singing with the Raging Grannies ~ Find information on their Facebook Group -Tucson Raging Grannies/Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
WATCH THE COMMEMORATION ON THE VIDEO BELOW.
You can also see it on YouTube here.
We are also part of #stillhere, an online virtual event honoring nuclear survivors which you can watch on YouTube here.
SPEAKERS