Peterborough Peace Council To Host Annual Lantern Vigil On Anniversary Of The Bombings Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki

The Peterborough Peace Council will host their annual Hiroshima and Nagasaki Commemoration Ceremony at Little Lake on August 9, the 77th anniversary of the dropping of an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan by the U.S Military.

Lanterns at Hiroshima Commemoration event in 2018. Photo by Gianne Broughton.

The Peterborough Peace Council was formed in 2014 in hopes to foster compassionate non-violent direct action & conflict resolution through information sharing.

“We are a network that helps each other to build peace in our community, and worldwide,” said Gianne Broughton, council member.

One a month the group hosts a vigil at the corner of McDonnell Street and George Street. Broughton says that sometimes there is a theme for the vigil, like the war in Ukraine or housing and homelessness crisis in Peterborough, but other times the vigil is simply to promote peace.

Commemorating the tragedies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki has been happening for years, but Broughton says the Peterborough Peace Council has been hosting their event for six or seven years.

The event is meant to show solidarity to those affected and to support the UN Nuclear Ban Treaty, which Canada has not signed.

“This night gives people a chance to really feel the terribleness of nuclear weapons,” said Broughton. “We also talk about what can be done instead.”

Broughton highlighted non-violent strategies like diplomacy, ending exploitation and following treaties that are already enacted.

Broughton notes that this years event may be more poignant that other years, because of what is happening in Ukraine.

“Nuclear annihilation is a real threat with the war in Ukraine,” she said. “People need hope, we need to do something.”

The commemoration will begin at 7:45 p.m. near the T-Wharf on Little Lake. Lanterns will be launched at 8:30.

Before lanterns are launched Michael Ketemer will provide music on his Hammer Harp. A keynote speaker will address the crowd, followed by ‘open sharing time’ for attendees that wish to speak.

Those that attend are welcome to create and bring their own lanterns, though there will be some available there. Attendees are also asked to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on.

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