REPORTS FROM WILPF BRANCHES ON HIROSHIMA/NAGASAKI WEEK ACTIVITIES

(posted in July and August, 2006)

Also access reports on other USA Hiroshima/Nagasaki events as they appeared on the www.august6.org and on the United for Peace and Justice Web site. To read a list of reported August 6-9 events across the country reported by WILPF and many other organizatons go to http://www.august6.org/events . Report on observances in Hiroshima. Please confirm if a Japanese WILPF member participated. Are there reports from other WILPF Sections?

Read below WILPF reports already in from U.S. WILPF Sections in Ashland OR, Boston, Brunswick Maine, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Monterey County CA, Montpelier VT, Pittsburgh, Portland OR, St. Louis, Sacramento, San Francisco, Tucson. (Scroll down to view branches.)

ASHLAND OREGON WILPF: Linda Richards reports the Ashland Branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom will commemorate the US nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Aug 6, 2006 on the Ashland Plaza, 8:16 am until dusk. The remembrance of the 260,000 Japanese civilians killed with the first use of atomic weapons in 1945 will begin Sunday August 6th at 8:16 am with the traditional lighting of the Hiroshima flame. Ashland, a Nuclear Free Zone since 1982, is a member of the international group Mayors for Peace. As of July 21, 2006, membership of Mayors for Peace stood at 1,403 cities in 119 countries and regions. For more information on the national campaign, see www.mayorsforpeace.org.

The vigil is an opportunity to reflect upon how we choose to respond to the critical challenges of the US nuclear policy, including the emerging uranium economy, corporate war profits and the diversion of resources to nuclearism despite the risks. Petitions and postcards will be available at the vigil to sign and support a nuclear free future. The vigil will end with a closing ceremony extinguishing the flame at dusk with singing by the members of the Ashland Peace Choir. Peace Choir members will be singing in solidarity with the Ashland Peace Choir who will be singing on the same day at the official Hiroshima Japan Commemoration.

Ashland Film Premier "The Last Atom Bomb," Friday, August 11, 2006, 7:30 pm. This is a 90 minute film followed by a discussion with the film's award winning maker, Robert Richter. Meese Auditorium, on the Southern Oregon University Campus, beside the Schneider Museum There will be no charge, but donations at the door are welcome to help defray the cost of arranging this showing .

BOSTON WILPF: Claire Gosselin reports that most Branch DISARM members are away during early August, but the Elizabeth Leonard of the DISARM committee is sending the flier and information on Bechtel to 25 groups which vigil regularly on anti-war themes. They are being urged to use the Bechtel flier as a handout and tie the link it to the cost over runs and recent collapse of a portion of the multi-billion dollar tunnel recently built by Bechtel for the city.

Brunswick (Maine Branch) WILPF: Christine De Troy reports many WILPF members are participating under the umbrella of our local organization PeaceWorks, which is holding its Second Annual Peace Fair on Sat., Aug. 5th in Brunswick. Indeed, many of the organizers are Maine WILPF members. The fair opens with the reading (local performers) of "Sadako and the Thousand Cranes" -- the closing is a gathering of fair goers and presenters with song and the dedication of the peace cranes folded that day.

Cleveland Branch WILPF: Yoshiko Ikuta reporting. Cleveland branch is working with the local Peace Action people who have a Hiroshima Day event in a public park followed by processional march to another location (one mile walk). There will also be annual Hiroshima Nagasaki Day concert by PAND, Performers and Artists for Nuclear Disarmament. Yoshiko herself will not be there this year, although she has been involved in preparations. She will be in Santa Rosa CA August 6 where she was invited to make a statement on Hiroshima Nagasaki Day by the Disarmament Coalition. (see Santa Rosa below).

Minneapolis-St Paul WILPF: Leslie Reindle of Minneapolis-St. Paul Branch reports: August 5-6. Hiroshima / Nagasaki Commemoration 61st Anniversary of Atomic Bombings. Lyndale Park Peace Garden, on Roseway Road across from Rose Garden, northeast side of Lake Harriet, Minneapolis

Saturday, August 5: 6 pm. Commemorative tea ceremony. John Brisson will lead a meditative tea ceremony at the time when people are gathered in Hiroshima to remember the bombing and its victims.

Sunday, August 6:7:30 am. Traditional Ceremony of Cranes. Begins with music and reflection, ends at 8:15 with moment of silence at the time of the dropping of the bomb. Participants then lay origami peace cranes on trees and bushes at the Peace Garden. Yumiko Yoshikiyo, native of Hiroshima, will read peace proclamation by mayor of Hiroshima. Keynote speaker : Dr. Kosuke Koyama.
2:30 pm. Family Event at Spirit of Peace Sculpture. Music, dance, storytelling, and crane-folding. Upper part of garden near cascade.

4:00 pm. WILPF leads Women in Black March (click here for details) in ritual walk along Pathway to Peace.
5:30 pm: Concert for Peace. Features Kairos Intergenerational Dance Theatre, Rabbi Sim Glaser and the Social Action Figures, and Light of the Moon led by Nick Jordan, at Lake Harriet Bandshell.

MONTEREY COUNTY WILPF: Hiroshima - Nagasaki REMEMBERANCE DAY
Sunday, August 6 6:30 pm . Lovers Point Beach, Pacific Grove

Sponsored by The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom

Each August throughout Japan, and around the world, people gather to float lanterns in remembrance of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and all victims of war. This year is the 61st anniversary of the nuclear devastation of two civilian cities in August, 1945, when 200,000 civilians perished in moments of unimaginable horror.

In the Monterey area, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom participates in this commemoration with the Remembrance Day Lantern-Floating Ceremony. People of all ages gather to make peace lanterns and hear the messages of the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. At dusk, the lighted lanterns are floated on the waves, in a luminous tribute to the power of remembrance and hope.

This beautiful and moving tradition honors those who died and those who survived (the hibakusha) the bombings. The ceremony also reaffirms our commitment to total abolition of nuclear proliferation and warfare, so that such a tragedy is never repeated.

WILPF invites the public to take part in this international event.

Sunday, August 6 at 6:30 pm. Lovers Pint, Pacific Grove.

6:30 ~ Lantern Making and Program. All are welcome to craft beautiful memorial lanterns and hear messages from the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

8:00 ~ Launching of Peace Lanterns on the sea.

This release was sent to leading newspapers in the area along with a cd of pictures taken from last year, and several prints of same

MONTPELIER/CENTRAL VERMONT BRANCH: Val Mullen reports Central Vermont WILPF will continue its long tradition of commemorating the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6 with gathering for "A Peaceful World for our Children" held in the WILPF established Peace Park in Montpelier. At noon lunch will be served to people in the WALK FOR A NUCLEAR FREE FUTURE. They are a group from Rutland, Montpelier and Burlington marching against nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons

All afternoon there will be folding of peace cranes, story telling, singing and dancing for children and their families.

In the evening the tradition of floating of candlelit boats on the Onion River will take place to commemorate not only the dead and wounded of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but also all those who have suffered in wars since then.

PITTSBURGH PA WILPF: Edith Bell reports WILPF is joining the August 4-6, 2006 CALL TO ACTION: From Hiroshima to the Middle East: STOP BECHTEL. She writes:

To commemorate the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki we will be targeting the Bechtel operated Bettis Company, in West Mifflin, a major nuclear weapons producer.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4 - 7-9 PM - Barnes & Noble Squirrel Hill

Book Talk and Discussion with Antonia Juhasz, author and Bechtel scholar. 7 - 9pm. Barnes & Noble Bookstore. 1723 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 5- Friends Meeting House, Oakland, PA

Teach-In: Bechtel and the Military-Industrial Complex. 1-3:30pm. Friends Meeting House. 4836 Ellsworth Ave. in Oakland. Featuring Antonia Juhasz and other scholar-activists involved with the anti-nuclear, anti-war and global justice movements.

Poster/Art Making and Civil Disobedience Training & Orientation. 4-6pm. Friends Meeting House.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 6 - West Mifflin Park

Festival at West Miffin Park. 1pm. Pavillion #4, West Mifflin Park (off Bettis Rd.) A festival of rememberance and resistance, featuring a picnic/potluck with music, speakers, booths and more. Free shuttle buses leave from CMU’s Morewood Gardens Parking lot starting at 12:30pm and returning after the festival and march.

March to Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory. 1pm. Starting at West Mifflin Park (off Bettis Rd.) Following the one-mile march to the Bettis’ main gate at Bettis, there will be an optional, participatory “Shadow Project” followed by an overnight vigil. A separate civil disobedience action is also planned.

For complete details as well as an updated list of events visit www.August6.org .

PORTLAND OREGON WILPF: On August 6, 6 to 7 pm, Portland WILPF will join in the annual commemoration of Hiroshima Day. WILPF has been a lead organizer of Hiroshima Day commemorations and actions since revitalization of the Branch in 1963. For the past 15 years it has co-sponsored with Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and the Japanese community. Several dozen other organizations also participate. Download the flyer and program. Also download the program insert with summaries of current U.S. nuclear policies, signs of hope, and action suggestions. Portland WILPF initiated international use of the shadow project in the 1980s. This year shadows will again be chalked on the city sidewalks on August 3, 5 and 6 in memory of those in Hiroshima whose bodies disappeared, leaving only shadows on streets and walls. On August 9 Portland WILPF is co-sponsoring the Portland premiere of The Last Atom Bomb and will distribute post cards and relevant literature.

SACRAMENTO WILPF: Ellen Schwartz reports: August Peace Event: Aug. 6 Memorial of Hiroshima/Nagasaki

The first use of nuclear weapons, against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, will be commemorated at the August Peace Event, Sunday, August 6, at the Secretary of State Auditorium, 1500 11th St in Sacramento.

This is the 20th year of what has been the August Women's Peace Event. The featured speaker will Laura Slattery, the program coordinator of Engage:
Exploring Nonviolent Living, Pace e Bene's nonviolence training and education program. The Sadako story of "A Thousand Cranes," based on traditional Japanese folklore, will be presented by children with Sacramento's InterACT (Interactive Asian Contemporary Theatre) Group.

The program will also include the Sacramento Taiko Dan, Interact Theatre, singer Suzan Tobin, the Rev. Seicho Asahi, and other community activists.

This is a family event with the theme of "Vision of Peace" and all are welcome. Doors open at 3:30 for light refreshments, networking, and browsing information tables of area groups. The program will be from 4-6pm. There will be an opportunity to take action against the new nuclear weapons the Bush administration is proposing.

Donations (sliding scale) will be collected at the door. Sponsorships and tables are available. The event is hosted by the August Peace Event Committee and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom is a sponsor.

Phone 916-685-1130 for more information.

ST.LOUIS BRANCH WILPF: Mary Jane Schutzius reports that WILPF is sponsoring the traditional commemoration on Sunday Aug. 6 at Lewis Park, University City, MO at 6 p.m. We begin with a picnic and reading of the Hiroshima mayor’s message, followed by a panel on the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, US policy vis-à-vis India, Iran, and North Korea, and the effect of 9/11. The program ends with peace songs and the floating of lit “boats” on the park lagoon.

We request co-sponsors donate $25 to meet any expenses, with the surplus sent to the Hiroshima Survivors Hospital.

SAN FRANCISCO BRANCH: Regina Sneed reports that the Branch will participate on Hiroshima Day, August 6 in a demonstration at Lawrence Livermore Laboratories against Bechtel involvement there in research and development of nuclear weapons. On Nagasaki Day, August 9, they will join in a similar demonstration at Bechtel Headquarters in San Francisco. Bechtel is one of the corporations profiting from nuclear weapons development highlighted in our Mil-Corp Manual and in WILPF Reaching Critical Will's Dirty Dozen: Partners in Mass Destruction. Read the report on Bechtel here. Frida Berrigan is updating the WILPF Dirty Dozen report on Bechtel for us for use during Hiroshima/Nagasaki week. For details on the events go to Tri-Valley Cares. View or download the two sided flier.

SANTA ROSA CA: There is no longer an active Branch in Santa Rosa, although at one time there was a very large one. However, Yoshiko Ikuta of the DISARM Leadership Team will be speaking there at the commemoration on August 6, and will take membership brochures and look for new contacts and former members. This is the Congressional District of Representative Lynn Woolsey whose legislation we often support, and WILPF sorely needs contacts there. One of Woolsey's Resolutions which WILPF actively supports is H Res 373, the Nuclear Weapons Non-Proliferation Treaty Commitment Act.

TUCSON WILPF BRANCH: Pat Birnie reporting. Our Tucson WILPF Branch is joining our local Women in Black on Friday Evening, Aug. 4 to do our commemoration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We will also be doing an appeal to End the War, and End the Occupation (with particular emphasis on Israeli incursion into Lebanon, but it could apply to all U.S. incursions as well...) Our Tucson Raging Grannies will do a commemorative song in conclusion.