Dear Friend --

Over the past few days, people all over the world have commemorated the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima; now ICAN and Peace Boat would like to invite you to join us for a special commemoration from Nagasaki, live on Instagram. 

When: August 9, 10:50am Nagasaki / 11:50am Sydney / 1:50pm Auckland / 9:50pm (August 8) New York 

Where: @nuclearban on instagram 

Follow @nuclearban

Hosted by our Japanese partner Peace Boat, the livestream will capture the atmosphere of the day from Nagasaki and take you to Shiroyama Elementary School, the elementary school closest to the hypocenter. Your guides Rika Watanabe (English) and Masumi Matsumura (Spanish) will share the unique history of the school, and join the minute of silence at Shiroyama Elementary School.

Follow @nuclearban on instagram to get notified when we go live

If you don’t have an instagram account or can't make it due to timezones, don’t worry, we will make the recordings available afterwards on our IGTV and on our website. 

The commemorations from Hiroshima were emotional and powerful to watch, particularly in this year where travel continues to be restricted and the hibakusha could share what it meant to them that nuclear weapons are finally banned under international law, with the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons’ entry into force. If you missed them, here are some of the highlights: 

• Watch our livestream from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, including the minute of silence, and an inspiring conversation with Ms Higashino, a second generation hibakusha, who has a powerful message of peace and the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

• Listen to the Hiroshima Peace Declaration, by Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui which highlights the importance of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons to the hibakusha, and why Japan must join the treaty. Or catch UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' message for the memorial ceremony.   

• Don't miss our evening livestream from the Memorial Peace Park and the beautiful concert with hibaku piano and violin, organised by Peace Boat. And if you loved the concert, you can watch the full thing here.

• Learn all about the Setsuko Thurlow Rose, made in honour of the iconic anti-nuclear activist and ICAN campaigner, a "beautiful, multicoloured rose, delicate in appearance yet resilient."  

We hope you will be able to join us in remembering the lives that were lost in Nagasaki, honouring the survivors, and wishing for a world without nuclear weapons. 

Thank you,

Lucero Oyarzun
Digital Campaign Coordinator
ICAN

&

Rika Watanabe
International Coordinator
Peace Boat