On August 6^th Belgian Mayors for Peace member cities join efforts with Abolition 2000 to commemorate the Hiroshima-Nagasaki bombings in nine Belgian cities. A moment of reflection, a day when everybody should take the time to stand still and remember what happened 66 years ago. It is a sign of solidarity, and a big ‘never again’! This unprecedented joint effort in the cities of Aalst, Antwerp, Bastogne, Brussels, Ghent (see picture of the commemoration last year), Leuven, Mechelen, Mons and Ypres also urges the Belgian government to facilitate the immediate start of negotiations to establish a nuclear weapons free world by 2020 and demands the withdrawal of the remaining US nuclear bombs from Belgian territory.

The events are organized by national and local peace organizations in cooperation with city halls. They will involve politicians, academics, unions, as well as youth and women movements. Activities will include speeches, the release of peace pigeons, raising peace flags, music and candles on rivers making the 66^th anniversary of the atomic bombings of the two Japanese cities. With the support of local and national media this event is expected to receive national attention.

In Belgium already 355 of the 589 Mayors signed up with Mayors for Peace. Belgium suffered both during World War I and World War II. As in Hiroshima and Nagasaki the consequences of these terrible wars are still visible and remembered.

Links:

http://www.abolition2000.org/

http://www.vredesnieuws.be/node/545

http://www.gent.be/eCache/THE/4/216.cmVjPTEyNDI2NA.html (vredehuis)

www.vrede.be/

www.mayorsforpeace.org/

www.paxchristi.net/

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