Rockford Peace & Justice observes 64th anniversary of Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombing

From press release

The two dates, Aug. 6 and 9, mark the 64^th anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States. Rockford Peace & Justice Action Committee will present a short commemoration service and prayers for the elimination of nuclear weapons, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, beginning at 5:30 p.m. across the street from the News Tower, at State Street and the Rock River, in front of the little memorial park known as Waterside Park.

RP&JAC joins activities across the country which recognize the devastation caused by nuclear weapons and memorialize the many victims of bomb production at every stepfrom uranium mining to design, to production, to testing and use.

In Japanese culture, the anniversary holds a particular cultural significance. In this 64^th year since the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the greatest gift to the hibakusha (survivors of the atomic bombings) and to the world would be to reaffirm life by working to stop new nuclear weapons plans and to work for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

The prayer is that a Hiroshima and Nagasaki must never happen again,

said Stanley Campbell, director of Rockford Urban Ministries and a speaker at the program.
We pray the world never gets pushed to that point.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Stanley Campbell at (815) 964-7111.

from the July 29-August 4, 2009, issue