Hiroshima and Nagasaki Week in Massachusetts
August 5-9, 2017
72 years have passed since the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 47 years since the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) took effect, and yet the five original nuclear weapons states, led by the United States, have not taken serious action on their commitments to abolish nuclear weapons.
In response, the vast majority of the world’s non-nuclear states, under the auspices of the United Nations, adopted a new treaty July 7 to ban nuclear weapons.
The United States and the other nuclear powers, along with allied “nuclear umbrella” states that are “protected” by U.S. nuclear weapons, did not participate. Instead, President Trump is pushing ahead with a $1 trillion program to modernize U.S. nuclear weapons, building new generations of bombers, submarines, ICBMs, air-launched cruise missiles, and bomb production factories, and with nuclear threats against North Korea, which have resulted in acceleration of North Korea’s own nuclear program.
Without a powerful grassroots movement dedicated to nuclear disarmament, the world’s nuclear crisis will only get worse instead of better. Therefore, Massachusetts Peace Action joins with peace groups, people of faith, youth, community groups, and human rights advocates who have organized events across Massachusetts on August 5-9, 2017, to call attention to the people’s demand for an end to the $1 trillion nuclear weapons escalation and the failure of the United States to support the nuclear ban treaty. We have posted the events we know about here.
Calendar
In Pittsfield, Berkshire Citizens for Peace and Justice will present the new film Paper Lanterns, which tells the story of Mr. Mori, a Hibakusha who worked for 40+ years to comfort the families of American soldiers killed during the atomic bombings. UU Church of Pittsfield, 175 Wendell Ave., Thursday, August 3, 7:30 pm.
The Buddhist monks and nuns of the New England Peace Pagoda will hold Ban Nuclear Weapons events at the Pagoda in Leverett on Aug. 5 at 6:30pm; at Northampton City Hall on August 6 at 3:30pm; and on Amherst Commons at noon on Aug. 7.
In Arlington Center, Arlington United for Justice and Peace will organize a Peace Vigil event commemorating Hiroshima and Nagasaki, August 5 from 10:30 to 11:30 am.
In Ipswich, the Veterans for Peace Samantha Smith Chapter will hold an anti-war, anti-nuclear weapons vigil on Saturday, Aug. 5, 11-12 am at the bottom of the hill with churches in the center of Ipswich.
In Walpole, Walpole Peace and Justice Group will organize a “Nagasaki & Hiroshima: The Time to Ban Nuclear Weapons is Now” event on Walpole Common on August 5 at 11:00 am.
On Cambridge Common, Massachusetts Peace Action’s Faith Communities Network will organize a Hiroshima/Nagasaki Remembrance and Celebration of the U.N. Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons at 11:45am on Hiroshima Day, August 6.
Veterans for Peace Smedley D. Butler Brigade will hold a Peace Gathering to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at Harvard Square, Cambridge on August 6th from 12:00-1:00 pm (Postponed from the 5th due to rain) Signs are encouraged!
In Jamestown, RI, activists will organize a Commemorate Hiroshima: Call For World Peace event, August 6 at noon at East Ferry Green. Bring banners, signs, families.
In Watertown, Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment will organize a Building a Nuclear-Free World event with candle boats on the evening of August 6.
In Easthampton, American Friends Service Committee of Western Massachusetts will organize The World We Want: Hiroshima & Nagasaki – Never Again event with a floating lantern ceremony at 7pm on the evening of August 6.
In Winsted, CT, Winsted Area Peace Action and Camp Kinderland will organize a Candlelight Vigil event commemorating the 72nd anniversary of the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan on the evening of August 6.
Cambridge Friends Meeting will hold a collective reading of Thomas Merton’s “Original Child Bomb” at 5 Longfellow Park, Cambridge on August 6th at 7:00 pm. After the reading they will walk to the Charles River to set adrift candle boats and offer reflections, as they’ve done for the past 8 years. For more information: contact John Bach johnmbach@yahoo.com or (970) 209-8346.
Actors Refugee Repertory Theatre will present a Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Memorial with Women of the World commemorating the 72nd anniversary of the bombing on August 6th from 6:30-8:15 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brookline. Performances will include a crystal singing bowl meditation, dance “prayer” dedication, an original short play, music, and more. 
How to Participate
We have launched a petition to Congress to prevent the president from launching a nuclear first strike unless Congress has declared war, and we invite your organization to help us circulate it. The petition is available online or in paper form.
We hope you will collaborate with us in this joint effort! Contact 617-354-2169 or info@masspeaceaction.org with questions or to connect and exchange ideas.