Hiroshima and Nagasaki Week in Massachusetts
Building Peace with North Korea, Iran, and Russia
August 4-9, 2018
Calling for nuclear disarmament and peace with North Korea, Iran, and Russia, peace and faith groups across Massachusetts announced plans for Hiroshima-Nagasaki Week 2018, with 20 different events planned August 4-9 in communities from Aquinnah to Pittsfield. At the same time, four Massachusetts peace activists have travelled to Japan to take part in the 2018 World Conference against A and H Bombs, which convenes today in Hiroshima.
Jamal Abdi, incoming president of the National Iranian-American Council (NIAC), will speak on No War with Iran at a rally Friday evening in Kendall Square.
Nuclear Holocaust Peace Pilgrims will walk from Lexington to Hanscom Air Force Base Saturday to question the Nuclear Command, Control and Communications system being developed at Hanscom, and then walk to communities across the state in the following week.
The Actors Repertory Refuge Theater will present an original play in Cambridge Sunday evening, along with music and visual arts to evoke the suffering of a nuclear holocaust and call for peace.
Peace groups in Walpole, Pittsfield, Easthampton, Arlington, Watertown, Andover, Cambridge, Waltham, Martha's Vineyard, and more will stage vigils and rallies to remember those incinerated by U.S. A-bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki and call for universal nuclear disarmament.
Cambridge church members will gather on Cambridge Common after service on Sunday to reflect, sing and remember.
Greenfield activists plan a 4-day vigil on the town green, accompanied by films, speakers, and worship services.
In Boston, a Nagasaki Day event will close out the week on August 9, using information, reflection, and music.
73 years have passed since the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 48 years since the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) took effect, and almost one year since the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons opened for signing. Yet the five original nuclear weapons states, led by the United States, have not taken serious action on their commitments to abolish nuclear weapons.
After threatening North Korea with “fire and fury”, President Trump held a summit meeting with Chairman Kim Jong-un, but much work remains to resolve the nuclear crisis with North Korea and bring peace to the Korean peninsula. He unveiled a Nuclear Posture Review that for the first time declares that the U.S. might use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear threats, and he continues to fund the $1.2 billion nuclear weapons escalation program. President Trump broke the Iran nuclear deal, falsely claiming that Iran was a nuclear threat. Now, Democrats are falling over themselves to denounce President Trump for even meeting with President Putin and discussing an extension to the New START nuclear treaty.
In reality, it is the United States’ 6,500 nuclear warheads, although with those of the other nuclear powers, that pose an imminent threat to humanity. The President can launch a civilization-destroying nuclear war on his sole authority.
Mass. Peace Action's Assistant Director Michelle Cunha will travel to Hiroshima and Nagaski August 3-9, 2018, as will Joseph Gerson of the American Friends Service Committee and the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament, and Common Security; Jerry Ross, member of MAPA's Nuclear Disarmament working group and of CPDCS; and Karlene Griffiths Sekou of Black Lives Matter Boston. Michelle will speak at two events while in Japan, first on Aug 3 at the International Meeting of the 2018 World Conference against A and H Bombs and second on Aug 9th at the Nagasaki Day Rally, discussing the work she's been doing to highlight Hanscom AFB's role in the new nuclear arms race. Jerry will be an active participant in the activities of the week including meeting survivors of the atomic bombs, attending workshops on how to bring nuclear disarmament to the US and the world, and connecting with nuclear disarmament activists from across the globe. Joseph will speak on why the A-bombs were dropped, the chaos of the Trump administration and his administration's nuclear weapons and war plans, Korea, Iran, and disarmament initiatives.
Follow Michelle and team's journey, and get updates on local events, on Facebook and Instagram (@masspeaceaction) and on Twitter (@masspeaceaction and @michelleofpeace)
Hiroshima/ Nagasaki Week Calendar
Thursday, August 2, 7:30 pm, Pittsfield -- The Bomb. This film provides a history of nuclear warfare that is highly timely, not only with respect to Hiroshima Day and Nagasaki Day, but extremely so with respect to our president making threats of war against Iran recently, and against North Korea before his meeting with its leader. Unitarian-Universalist Church, 175 Wendell Ave., sponsored by Berkshire Citizens for Peace and Justice.
Friday, August 3, 12 noon - 5pm, Government Center, Boston - Outreach at Massachusetts Green Fest - join Massachusetts Peace Action as we reach out with petitions, literature and our Nuclear Globe.
Friday, August 3, 5:00 pm, Kendall Square - No War on Iran rally featuring Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council, followed by an indoor talk at the Venture Cafe.
Saturday, August 4, 10:00 am, Walpole Common - Remember Hiroshima & Nagasaki: The Time to Ban Nuclear Weapons is Now, a peace vigil sponsored by the Walpole Peace and Justice Group.
Saturday, August 4, 10:30am, Arlington Center - Remember Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Peace Vigil, sponsored by Arlington UJP.
Saturday August 4, 12:30 pm, Lexington to Hanscom Air Force Base - Nuclear Holocaust Peace Pilgrims . Join the monks and nuns of the Grafton Peace Pagoda for a walk to Hanscom AFB and vigil, arriving at 3:30pm.
Sunday, August 5-12, Amherst to Leverett - Following up on the Hanscom walk, join the Peace Walk with the monks and nuns of the Grafton Peace Pagoda followed by Hiroshima Ceremony, then continuing on to Vermont Yankee, Bennington, Saratoga Springs, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, concluding in Grafton, NY on August 12.
Sunday, August 5, 5pm, Leverett: Resurrecting Life from the Inferno : Hiroshima - Nagasaki Commemoration Ceremony. Candlelight vigil at the Peace Pagoda with praysers, speakers and songs. Preceded by 8am walk from Peace Pagoda to Leverett Congregational Church and Mt. Toby Meeting House, workship at Mt. Toby Meeting House, and return walk to Peace Pagoda. Sponsored by the New England Peace Pagoda.
Sunday, August 5, 11:45 am, Cambridge Common - Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Welcoming Momentum for Peace in Korea . Outdoor gathering after church.
Sunday, August 5, 7:00 pm, Easthampton - The World We Want: Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Never Again! Music by Mountain River Taiko, remarks by Easthampton Mayor Nichole LaChapelle, free ice cream, floating lanterns, shakuhachi. Sponsored by the Resistance Center for Peace & Justice. Nashwannuck Pond. 
Sunday, August 5, 7:30 pm, Cambridge - Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Memorial with theater, music, and arts, featuring an original theatrical production, hula kahiko, Hibakusha Monologue (world premiere), "Message of Peace", music dedication and paper lantern "Ceremony of Peace". First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., produced by Actors Refuge Repertory Theatre.
Sunday, August 5, 7:30 pm, Watertown - Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki . Silent vigil, music and testimonials, launching of candle boats. Remember the nuclear attack, recommit to the Iran nuclear deal, and support a nuclear free Korean peninsula. Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment.
Monday, August 6, 6:00 am, Aquinnah - Remember Hiroshima Day in word and song, prayer and silence, rededicate to peace and justice. Sunrise at the Gay Head Lighthouse, sponsored by the Martha's Vineyard Peace Council.
Monday, August 6, 7:30 am, Waltham - Vigil at the corner of Main and Moody Streets on Waltham Common, sponsored by Waltham Concerned Citizens. Info: info@walthamconcernedcitizens.
Monday, August 6, 7:30 am, Waltham - Vigil at the corner of Main and Moody Streets on Waltham Common, sponsored by Waltham Concerned Citizens. Info: info@walthamconcernedcitizens.
Monday, August 6, 8:00am, Pittsfield - Hiroshima Day Vigil, Park Square. Includes five minutes of silence at 8:15 a.m., the time our atomic bomb was detonated. Berkshire Citizens for Peace and Justice.
Monday, August 6 to Thursday, August 9, Greenfield - Hiroshima to Nagasaki 4 Day Vigil: Paving a Path Towards Peace with displays, activities, performances, discussion groups, films, speakers, workshops and events. Greenfield Town Green and in the library and nearby churches. Sponsored by Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution - Peace Task Force. See the detailed schedule.
Monday, August 6, 7pm, Andover -- Hiroshima/Nagasaki vigil, in front of Old Town Hall, 20 Main St. Sponsored by Merrimack Valley People for Peace.
Monday, August 6, 7pm, Cambridge Friends Meeting: Community reading of Thomas Merton’s “Original Child Bomb” , then proceed to the Charles River to float candles.
Monday, August 6, 7:30-9pm, Winsted, CT: Hiroshima and Nagasaki Commemoration Vigil to commemorate victims of the bombings, speak out against violence, and favor non-violent conflict resolution. Vigil begins at 7:30 at East End Park, Main Street side. At 8:30 participants will sing songs of peace joined with the young people of Camp Kinderland in Tolland, MA. Winsted Area Peace Action; Barbara Braunstein 860 309-4803 or Ann Evans, 860 379-7858.
Wednesday, August 8, 7pm, Boston - Free concert at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade recognizing the Physicians for Social Responsibility.
Thursday, August 9, 7pm, Community Church of Boston: No More Nagasakis: A Commemoration , with talks by Elaine Scarry and Sofia Wolman, film by David Rothauser, and music by Dean Stevens and Sofia.
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Forward together -- not one step back!
Cole Harrison
Executive Director |
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Massachusetts Peace Action, 11 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138
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617-354-2169 • info@masspeaceaction.org • Follow us on Facebook or Twitter
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