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Nagasaki Day 2021 - Online Testimony with Mayors for Peace French Chapter and ICAN France
(English follows below)
Rejoignez-nous le lundi 9 août, la date anniversaire du bombardement atomique de Nagasaki, pour écouter le témoignage de Mme. Shizuko MITAMURA, une survivante du bombardement. L’évènement a été organisé par Peace Boat en coopération avec l’association « Maires pour la paix » et ICAN France - Campagne Internationale pour Abolir les Armes Nucléaires.
13:00 à 14:30 (France), lundi 9 août 2021
20:00 à 21:30 (Japon), lundi 9 août 2021
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In English
Please join us on Monday August 9, the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, for a testimony session with Ms. Mitamura Shizuko, a first-generation survivor of the bombing. This event is organized by Peace Boat in cooperation with the Mayors for Peace French Chapter and ICAN France.
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm (France), Monday 9 August 2021
8:00 pm to 9:30 pm (Japan), Monday 9 August 2021
This discussion will be entirely held in French and Japanese.
Ms. Mitamura will share testimony of her experiences as a nuclear bombing survivor. Ms. Mitamura was exposed to the atomic bombing of Nagasaki at her home, 4 km from the hypocenter. Due to her family's fast actions, they survived the initial blast. However, the explosion was not the only threat nuclear bomb survivors have had to face. Her family has struggled with terrible health complications due to nuclear radiation. Ms. Mitamura now is dedicated to telling the survivors’ stories all over the world, including onboard Peace Boat and now through our online project, Every Second Counts for the Survivors.
At this event, we are also honored to welcome several French speakers. These representatives will share their valuable expertise on and initiatives for nuclear disarmament.
Opening remarks will be by Ms Fatiha Alaudat, Deputy Mayor of Malakoff and Vice-president of Mayors for Peace French Chapter. Following will also be a speech from Ms. Miho Cibot-Shimma, a Hiroshima Peace Ambassador from Mayors for Peace French Chapter, and then Mr. Jean-Marie Collin of ICAN France, to speak about various initiatives to promote the nuclear ban treaty in France.
Peace Boat’s activities in France will be introduced by staff member Laure Norest, and French student Solene Petitcol will speak about Sasaki Sadako and how the origami paper crane is associated with peace and nuclear abolition. This will be followed by a paper crane workshop, for everyone to take action together to help spread awareness.
This session is being organized as part of Peace Boat's Global Hibakusha Project Online, further supported by Nihon Hidankyo (the Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organization) and Mayors for Peace. Please join us to connect directly to Nagasaki on this anniversary day.
Ms Mitamura (right) with the then Mayor of Gonfreville L'Orcher, France in 2015 during an event held with Mayors for Peace French Chapter
Article by Peace Boat US intern Elijah Cook