Thirteen WILPF Branches Commemorate 80th Anniversary of Atomic Bombings

Thirteen branches of WILPF US held events to commemorate the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. One of these branches, the California Peninsula/Palo Alto branch, organized a public presentation titled “NEVER AGAIN! 80 Years Since Hiroshima, the Current Danger, and the Resistance,” featuring Helen Jaccard, the recently retired project manager of the Golden Rule ketch, operated by Veterans For Peace.

During the presentation, the audience learned that the Golden Rule was the first of several environmental and peace vessels to set sail. In 1958, a crew of anti-nuclear weapons activists boarded the Golden Rule and departed from Hawaii to prevent the US government from testing nuclear weapons in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

The Golden Rule sails on the San Francisco Bay with the Golden Gate Bridge behind her in 2021. Photo from Veterans for Peace.

The US Coast Guard in Hawaii boarded The Golden Rule twice, resulting in the arrest, trial, and imprisonment of the crew in Honolulu. Their actions sparked outrage worldwide and contributed to the establishment of the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963. The crew’s bravery continues to inspire activists and organizations advocating for the abolition of nuclear weapons. During her presentation, Helen highlighted that the current global conflicts pose significant risks that could lead to nuclear war. She emphasized the importance of public resistance against militarism, which only leads to an increase in nuclear weapons.

A protest also took place at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab in Livermore, CA—one of several labs that design and assemble nuclear warheads across the US. The protest took place on Aug. 6 at the lab’s main gate. This website lists the speakers and the activities, such as the “die-in” on the road. Nine people also participated in non-violent civil disobedience by obstructing the entrance to the lab after the police ordered them to disperse. These protestors were issued citations and then released.

Read more about how WILPF branches across the US commemorated the 80th anniversaries of the atomic bombings in Japan.

Hiroshima Honors 80th Anniversary of Atomic Bombings with Memorial Service and Video

A memorial service took place in Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 2025. You can watch the recording of the service (1 hour 9 minutes, captioned in English). WILPF’s own Hideko Tamura, a Hiroshima Hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor), was a guest of honor at this service, which was attended by 55,000 people from all over the world, including WILPF members from the US (our own Ellen Thomas, her daughter, and granddaughter), Austria, Australia, Japan, and Spain.

In addition to speaking at the above service, Hiroshima’s mayor, Kazumi Matsui, released a peace declaration film in English on Aug. 6.

Two Conferences Held to Honor Hibakusha in Oslo and Nagasaki

The 2025 Nobel Peace Conference honored Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nihon Hidankyo for its efforts in advocating for a world free of nuclear weapons. The conference was held at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo on Aug. 6, 2025, and livestreamed to audiences around the globe. Against the backdrop of testimonies from survivors and in a time of heightened international tension, attendees discussed the current nuclear threat and explored solutions to strengthen efforts to ensure that these weapons are never used again.

Ellen Thomas and her family attended the World Conference Against A & H Bombs, which was held in Hiroshima and Nagasaki from Aug. 2 to 9. You can find more information, including a detailed agenda and links to some transcripts from the event, on the conference’s website. Ellen is currently posting several speeches in English on the Proposition1Campaign YouTube channel and will be sharing videos related to WILPF on the WILPF US YouTube channel. 

Additionally, Ellen and her family participated in the 80th Anniversary Special Program in Nagasaki titled “Inheriting Hibakusha’s Experiences into the Future.” This forum aimed to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and to preserve and share the experiences and messages of Hibakusha—the survivors of the bombings. The discussion centered on those Hibakusha who were only 12 to 13 years old at the time of the bombings; they have vivid memories and can speak about the consequences of nuclear weapon usage. Ellen’s granddaughter, Emma, helped introduce speakers to an audience of 3,200 people in the gymnasium.

Beyond 80th Anniversary Commemorations: Resources for Continued Learning

Although commemoration events have passed, we must continue to educate ourselves and others about the dangers of nuclear weapons. The following two resources were published in early August and can aid us in our continued learning:

• Watch this video to understand the connection between nuclear power and nuclear weapons.
• Ray Acheson, director of WILPF’s Reaching Critical Will, wrote this article to remind us that nuclear weapons continue to harm us. The article lists nine actions we each can take right now to move the world towards abolishing nuclear weapons.

International Day of Peace is Sept. 21: Ideas for Your Celebration

The International Day of Peace (“Peace Day”) is observed around the world each year on Sept. 21. Founded in 1981 through a unanimous resolution by the United Nations, Peace Day provides a shared day for people worldwide to affirm peace above all differences and to work towards fostering a culture of peace. 

The 2025 Global Peace Day theme is “Act Now for a Peaceful World.” In a time of turbulence, tumult, and uncertainty, we all must take concrete action to mobilize for peace. This short, engaging video provides lots of ideas for celebrating Peace Day (Sunday, Sept. 21) in your community.

WILPF International is launching a global campaign calling for governments to divest from militarization and reinvest in feminist peace, care, and equality. Rooted in our long-standing advocacy, our “Move the Money” campaign will bring together communications and political action under one unifying message: STOP FUNDING WAR, START BUILDING PEACE. WILPF International will launch the campaign on Sept. 21, and our DISARM/End Wars Committee will participate.

Join the DISARM/End Wars Issue Committee

We welcome new members to the DISARM/End Wars Issue Committee! We meet by Zoom on the second and last Sundays of each month at 4:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. CT/7:30 p.m. ET. To receive the Zoom link and request to join the DISARM listserv, write to disarmchair@wilpfus.org.