On 6 August 1945, the US dropped an atomic bomb called “Little Boy” on Hiroshima in Japan. Three days later a second atomic bomb (“Fat Man”) was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. These are the only times nuclear weapons have been used in war.
The firestorm in Hiroshima destroyed five square miles of the city. Almost 63% of the buildings in Hiroshima were destroyed after the bombing and nearly 92% of the structures in the city were destroyed or damaged by blast and fire.
Estimates of total deaths in Hiroshima have generally ranged between 100,000 and 180,000, out of a population of 350,000. Casualties from Nagasaki are thought to be between 50,000 and 100,000.
The world says never again
2019 is the 74th anniversary of the bombings. Memorial events are planned across the UK for Hiroshima Day on the 6th August and Nagasaki Day on the 9th August.
The firestorm in Hiroshima destroyed five square miles of the city. Almost 63% of the buildings in Hiroshima were destroyed after the bombing and nearly 92% of the structures in the city were destroyed or damaged by blast and fire.
Estimates of total deaths in Hiroshima have generally ranged between 100,000 and 180,000, out of a population of 350,000. Casualties from Nagasaki are thought to be between 50,000 and 100,000.
The world says never again
2019 is the 74th anniversary of the bombings. Memorial events are planned across the UK for Hiroshima Day on the 6th August and Nagasaki Day on the 9th August.
1. Tuesday 6th August HIROSHIMA DAY Commemoration NEW VENUE: South Castle Street (bordering Princes Street) from 6pm to 7pm. Followed by regular organising meeting afterwards at Peace and Justice Centre.
2. Saturday 10th August: 12 30, A. Leafleting at the East End of Princes Street. Education Not Trident and remembering Nagasaki.
B Origami Cranes Workshop 2pm – 4pm
Edinburgh Peace & Justice Centre EH8 9BH
Join us on the weekend after the anniversary of the Hiroshima bomb, to make origami cranes for peace. Ancient Japanese legend promises anyone who makes 1000 cranes will be granted a wish from the gods. Help us make 140,000 cranes to wish for peace and disarmament. Workshops are the second Saturday of each month. Make cranes (or learn how to), help count how many we have so far (about 125,000), enjoy tea and coffee, a chat – or come along to find out more about the work of the Peace and Justice Centre. Please share far and wide!
Edinburgh Peace & Justice Centre EH8 9BH
Join us on the weekend after the anniversary of the Hiroshima bomb, to make origami cranes for peace. Ancient Japanese legend promises anyone who makes 1000 cranes will be granted a wish from the gods. Help us make 140,000 cranes to wish for peace and disarmament. Workshops are the second Saturday of each month. Make cranes (or learn how to), help count how many we have so far (about 125,000), enjoy tea and coffee, a chat – or come along to find out more about the work of the Peace and Justice Centre. Please share far and wide!
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Two Events in July
1. 22nd July in Glasgow
STOP PRESS: For those who missed Monday’s Meeting: Scottish CND and Edinburgh CND are supporting a very interesting meeting in the Edinburgh Yes Hub at 31 Lasswade Road Edinburgh EH16 6 TD on Thursday July 25 at 7 pm .
The speaker at the meeting is Medea Benjamin from the US Code Pink Women for Peace organisation .
Code Pink is an internationally active NGO . It is a grassroots peace and social justice movement which works to end US funded wars and occupations .
A major part of its work is to challenge militarism .
Medea is visiting Scotland over the next week or so – therefore it is good news that she is able to speak at this meeting.
The venue is quite small so it would be really if people could book s place by going to the website edinburghyeshub.info
The speaker at the meeting is Medea Benjamin from the US Code Pink Women for Peace organisation .
Code Pink is an internationally active NGO . It is a grassroots peace and social justice movement which works to end US funded wars and occupations .
A major part of its work is to challenge militarism .
Medea is visiting Scotland over the next week or so – therefore it is good news that she is able to speak at this meeting.
The venue is quite small so it would be really if people could book s place by going to the website edinburghyeshub.info
2. Webinar PNND joins with Abolition 2000, World Future Council and UNFOLD ZERO to invite you to join a webinar on:
Move the Nuclear Weapons Money:
Divesting from Destruction. Investing in peace and sustainability
Tuesday July 30. 5pm – 6:30pm Central Europe time. 11:00 – 12:30 USA Eastern time
Divesting from Destruction. Investing in peace and sustainability
Tuesday July 30. 5pm – 6:30pm Central Europe time. 11:00 – 12:30 USA Eastern time
3. and one more in August: No to War / No to NATO Scottish Network – meeting has been arranged on Wednesday August 7 2019 at 5 pm in Scottish CND office
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Other News:
STOP PRESS: STOP PRESS: Kate Brown’s landmark book — Manual for Survival — revealed many little known facts about the Chernobyl disaster and debunked myths put about by the nuclear lobby. Here, she highlights five common misconceptions about the accident. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/04/chernobyl-nuclear-power-climate-change-health-radioactivity (for those who missed the excellent meeting on 19th July)
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1. Beyond Nuclear International: https://beyondnuclearinternational.org (A) One day before an election, the Australian government authorized a Canadian uranium mine that has been bitterly opposed by the Aboriginal traditional owners. The move follows a long history of colonial abuse of indigenous peoples, often over mineral rights. N.b. See also:
(B) At 16 she won the 2016 International Children’s Peace Prize. Now Kehkashan Basu is calling for spending on nuclear weapons to be redirected toward aid to refugees, children and ending world hunger. And the false narrative that Chernobyl wildlife is thriving is exposed once again, by a new study of bank voles which shows a decline in reproduction that could affect the entire ecosystem. (C) For the first time BNI are running a story in three languages — thanks to Equal Times– about a play performed by relocated Futaba high schoolers vividly recalling their experiences of the Fukushima nuclear accident as little children. And Jacqueline Cabasso lauds the US Mayors who unanimously passed a resolution calling on all presidential candidates to declare their views on nuclear weapons and nuclear war.
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2. From CND: (A) Peace campaigners have responded to news of a new MoD space programme, announced by Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt on 18th: Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said: “We condemn UK involvement in these new military programmes in space. Our leaders should be taking steps to preserve space for peace, rather than racing towards its weaponisation. “The Defence Secretary rightly celebrates the moon landings in her speech today. They represented a high point of the peaceful exploration of space, an endeavour that inspires the best in humanity. But the militarisation of space is completely at odds with this peaceful vision and Britain should play no role in it. (B) We’re still trying to get our anti-Trident message out on the buses in Manchester this September, in time for this year’s Conservative Party Conference. Can you help us take it to the heart of the establishment. http://www.cnduk.org
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3. Extinction Rebellion Edinburgh: we need your help! We’ve been invited by Summerhall – a high profile and experimental arts venue – to curate a programme of artworks, performances and transformances (a combination of both art and activism, taking place in the city) for the Edinburgh Festival. There’s a problem though. We have the venue. We have the programme planned (it’s even being advertised at Extinction Rebellion – Summerhall – Open Minds Open Doors
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++++++4. NuClear News No.118 July/August 2019 is now available for downloading here: www.no2nuclearpower.org.uk/wp/wp content/uploads/2019/07/NuClearNewsNo118.pdf
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5. Parliamentarians from across North America, Europe and Central Asia met in Luxembourg from July 4-8, 2019 for the Annual Meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Following five days of dynamic discussions, the Assembly today (July 8, 2019) adopted a comprehensive Declaration on Advancing Sustainable Development to Promote Security(Luxembourg Declaration) along with a number of supplementary resolutions. Together the declaration and reslutions include reflections, recommendations and appeals to OSCE member governments on peace, human rights, environmental, economic, political and security issues. (See OSCE Parliamentary Assembly advances peace, disarmament and sustainable development).
+++++5A 25/07:Count the Nuclear Weapons Money will take place over seven days and seven nights during UN Disarmament Week, October 24-30, 2019. Join us for 15 minutes, an hour or longer to help count the money. Set up a counting team and use this to promote your nuclear disarmament initiative. Or organise a short satellite counting in your university or city. Click here to sign up to count the money, or contact us by email at info@nuclearweaponsmoney.org.
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6. On the second anniversary of the day that the United Nations agreed to ban the bomb Trident Ploughshares, in order to challenge Faslane’s legitimacy and highlight the progress that has been made since a huge majority of the world’s states took the ban decision, used spray paint to re-decorate the main entrance of the base for peace and blocked the the base’s other entrance.
Their aim was to remind the public and those working in the base that most governments now agree that nuclear weapons must be prohibited and eliminated and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) that was adopted at the UN aims to do just that. While the nuclear-armed states may not agree, they will have to come to terms somehow with the impact that the TPNW is already having because the ban prohibits any nuclear sharing, testing and development as well as use.
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7.Los Alamos Study Group http://www.lasg.org/ :Bulletin 261: Public discussion: “The Steepest Time: Youth and Crisis at the End of an Age,” Thursday July 25, 2019, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Phil Space Gallery, 1410 Second St, Santa Fe PLUS Bulletin 262: New Mexico Democrats push Trump nuclear weapons agenda regardless of environmental costs, suborn NM Environment Department to blackmail DOE into more LANL pit production and warheads
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8.And finally:
A wonderful event to start this year’s Manchester International Festival – Yoko Ono’s Bells for Peace. The BBC filmed it and it can be seen on the attached link.
edinburgh cnd 