Wednesday, August 6, 6pm, University Baptist Church, 50 W. Lane Ave.

On this, the eightieth remembrance of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we reach across the oceans to share your grief. The Hibakusha have tirelessly guided the world toward sanity, the elimination of nuclear weapons whose sole purpose is to cause unfathomable harm and death to entire populations of civilians and our planet. They have been speaking to the world about the unthinkable horrors of atomic weapons. They know that the people of the world must understand what atomic weapons actually do to people and the environment. They also know that continued blaming for the wrongs we have done to one another will never lead us out of the terrible round of death and destruction that, in fact, threatens to destroy the world.

We recall our long relationship with the Hibakusha, who were the first to reach out to recognize the members of September Eleventh Families For Peaceful Tomorrows. We remember fondly the warmth of many peace activists, and friendships formed with the hope of increased peace. We stand together, watching the world at a very dangerous time, praying that the lesson has been learned. We have a responsibility to remember history and learn from it. The fate of the earth and all its peoples depends on our leaders to choose a non-violent path. We must not be silent. We can choose kindness. We can make choices for the global good. There is another way, if only our leaders are courageous enough to choose it. Our collaboration will continue toward a common goal: What happened at Hiroshima and Nagasaki must never happen again and there must be no more weapons of mass destruction.

Hosted by Columbus Campaign for Arms Control.

Contact: Mark D. Stansbery, 614-252-9255 or <walk@igc.org>.