August 2, 2026, Sunday, 2 PM – 3 PM on the steps of the New York City Public Library, 41st St. and 5th Ave., New York, NY
Eighty-one years have passed since the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is estimated that the bombs killed 210,000 people by the end of 1945 and, over the years, have ruined the health of many of the survivors. To honor the memory of the Japanese and Korean victims of the atomic bombing, as well as the subsequent nuclear detonations in the Pacific and all nuclear victims, a coalition of citizens and peace activists will gather on the steps of the New York City Public Library, 42nd Street and 5th Avenue, New York, NY on Sunday, August 2nd from 2 PM to 3 PM.
Not always acknowledged, many Koreans were also victims of the atomic bombing of Japan. This is because hundreds of thousands of Koreans were forcibly displaced to Japan under imperial occupation during the Second World War. The Korean victims have faced marginalization in their own communities and continue to be excluded from critical discussions on nuclear abolition. We stand in solidarity with these victims in calling for accountability from the United States government and a commitment to nuclear disarmament. These efforts will be highlighted in a People’s Tribunal on the U.S. Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to be held in November 2026 in Seoul, South Korea.
The organizers of the peace gathering acknowledge the obstacles to nuclear abolition in a world struggling with violence, oppression, and militarism. We are now in a second Cold War and the nuclear arms race is escalating.. The first Cold War was a competition between the USSR and the U.S. for nuclear supremacy. The current Cold War is between China and the U.S. over economic and military supremacy and AI dominance. This has led to a surge in calls to reopen nuclear reactors and build small modular reactors (SMRs). Such potential military application of AI introduces AI as a new urgent nuclear concern.
Despite these challenges, the peace gathering is based on the belief in the power of international solidarity fighting for a more peaceful future. The gathering will affirm a commitment to justice for all victims of the U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and express solidarity with their counterparts in Japan and Korea who have been advocating for nuclear abolition for decades.
Organizers:
Veterans for Peace – NYC Chapter 34
Veterans For Peace (VFP) is a global organization of Military Veterans and allies whose collective efforts are to build a culture of peace by using our experiences and lifting our voices. We inform the public of the true causes of war and the enormous costs of wars, with an obligation to heal the wounds of wars.
Manhattan Project for a Nuclear-Free World
Manhattan Project for a Nuclear-Free World is a group of concerned citizens, educators, health advocates, artists and lawyers with a mission to raise awareness of the costs, risks, and humanitarian consequences of nuclear energy and nuclear weapons.
Also:
- Pax Christi New York State
- Peace Action New York State
- NYC War Resisters League
- NYC Metro Raging Grannies
- Endorsed by:
- World Can’t Wait
- Catholic Worker
- Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security
- World Can’t Wait
- North Country Peace Group
- Genesee Valley Citizens for Peace
- Pax Christi Little Rock
- Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives
- Global Network Against Weapons in Space
- Pax Christi Illinois
- Peace Action (national)
- Upper Hudson Peace Action
- South Country Peace Group
- Pax Christi New Jersey
- Commission on Global Issues
- Pax Christi Massachusetts
- WESPAC
- Pax Christi Maine
- Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New York
- All Souls Nuclear Disarmament Task Force
- Pax Christi Maryknoll
- Pax Christi Northern California
- Coalition for Peace Action
- Fellowship of Reconciliation Metro NY/NJ Chapter
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