Burlington Vermont commemorates Hiroshima and Nagasaki Days

WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM, PAX CHRISTI and BURLINGTON FRIENDS MEETING are co-sponsoring the events with others expected to take part.

This year is the 40th anniversary of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT). Created in 1978 to mandate the reduction and eventual elimination of nuclear weapons by the Big Five, and the removal of incentives to obtain nuclear weapons by the rest of the world (by offering them nuclear power), this treaty is fraying badly at the seams, as we know. It is especially important this year to increase public awareness of this treaty by lifting up people's awareness of the continued threat and horror of nuclear weapons.

Below is an outline of events that stretch from the 6th to the 9th. Many volunteers will be needed.

1) WILPF plans to table on Church Street, probably starting before August 6. WILPF will gather signatures for a petition calling on Congress to declare August 6 Nuclear Weapons Disarmament Day. They also need people to teach others visiting the table how to fold paper cranes.

2) August 6th Mayor Bob Kiss will declare August 6th Nuclear Disarmament Day, and speak out about the issue at noon from the steps of City Hall. The Taiko Drummers are invited to perform. They will invite other speakers and may create a shadow project ( Outline bodies on black plastic: this was a very successful project when they did it a few years ago. The resulting work was hung from the roof of the Firehouse Gallery).

3) August 9th. Welcome the Hiroshima/Nagasaki walkers to town.

11 am: Join Pax Christi at the Bell Tower on Cherry Street to commemorate the dropping of the bomb on Nagasaki. Enjoy lunch on the grass or in the Peace and Justice Center and view the video Voices from Chernobyl. This is a tape made from the reader's theater play created by Spencer Smith and performed in Burlington last January. Check out the impressive Vermont Yankee focussed website at http://www.voicesfromchernobyl.net/ ). Also other tapes might be presented.

6 pm. Potluck at the Burlington Friends Meeting. Discussion of issues and possible talk by Doreen Kraft of Burlington City Arts' year long project on Wind Power and the landscape. Alternatives to nuclear power need to be explored.

After the conclusion of the events WILPF members will deliver the signed petitions to Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernard Sanders. The national WILPF office has also decided to promote the petitions and deliver them to Congress in Washington D.C. during the week of September 15.