120 Organizations Worldwide Call for a Moment of Silence at the Olympics

International Olympic Committee,

We are writing to express our support for a moment of silence during the Olympic games on August 6 at 8:15 am.

August 6, 2021, marks the 76th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, an atrocious moment in human history where 140,000 lives were instantly stolen and countless others forever altered. Three days later marks the anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki where another 70,000 souls perished.

The Olympic games have been referred to as the “festival of peace.” The Olympic Truce established during the ancient Olympics allowed countries to come together peacefully, regardless of outstanding conflicts, for collaboration and competition. With Japan hosting this year, the Olympic Committee has a unique opportunity to highlight the peaceful cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and honor the victims of nuclear and ongoing violence around the world. It is the perfect moment to remember world history and work together to ensure the horrors of the past are never forgotten and never repeated.

We urge you to heed our request, alongside the tens of thousands of others calling for a moment of silence on August 6 to honor the victims and survivors of past wars and highlight the need for a world without nuclear weapons. The Olympics are a platform for international collaboration, peace, and unity. We believe Chairman Thomas Bach understands this; his visit to Hiroshima opened the door. Use this platform to guide nations toward a better future and uphold the tradition the games have long held.

We ask that the International Olympic Committee honor this request from Hiroshima’s former Mayor ​​Tadatoshi Akiba and hold a moment of silence on August 6. As he says, “If we don’t take action…we don’t have the right to tout (the Olympics) as a festival of peace. A silent prayer is the least we can do.”

Thank you,

Undersigned Organizations

Anne Arundel Peace Action

Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace

Appalachian Peace Education Center

Arms Control Association

Back from the Brink: The Call to Prevent Nuclear War

Baltimore Nonviolence Center

Basel Peace Office

Beaver County (PA) Peace Links

Beyond the Bomb

Beyond Nuclear

Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Comm

Cape Downwinders

Christian Alliance For Peace

Citizens’ Resistance at Fermi Two (CRAFT)

Coalition for a Nuclear Free Great Lakes

Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), India

CODEPINK

Common Lot Productions

Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety

Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County and Area (Canada)

Des Moines Catholic Worker

Don’t Waste Michigan

Ecological Options Network, EON

Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs( ECFA)

Elders Climate Action-Nashville chapter

Environmental Climate Lobby-Nashville Chapter

Franciscan Peace Center

Gender and Radiation Impact Project

Global Zero

Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility

Green State Solutions

Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action

Hawai’i Peace and Justice

Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition Toronto

Hudson River Sloop Clearwater

Human Survival Project

ICAN Aotearoa New Zealand

Indian point safe energy coalition

International Association of Peace Messenger Cities

International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Canada

Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

Justice, Peace, Creation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word

LABRATS

Maryland Peace Action

Massachusetts Peace Action

Methodist Federation for Social Action, Iowa Chapter

Micah

Minneapolis St. Paul Hiroshima Nagasaki Commemoration Committee

Monterey Peace and Justice Center

Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment

New Zealand Peace Foundation International Affairs and Disarmament Committee

NH Veterans for Peace

No More Bombs

Nonviolent International

Nuclear Energy Information Service (NEIS)

Nuclear Free Takoma Park Committee

Nuclear Hotseat Podcast/Broadcast

NuclearBan.US

Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance

Occupy Bergen County (New Jersey)

One Sunny Day Initiatives

Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility

Outrider Foundation

Pax Christi Greensburg, Pennsylvania

Pax Christi Metro New York

Peace Action of Broome County, NY

Peace Action of Wisconsin

People for Nuclear Disarmament

Physicians for Social Responsibility

Physicians for Social Responsibility-Arizona

Physicians for Social Responsibility Maine Chapter

Physicians for Social Responsibility New York

Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania

Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles

Physicians for Social Responsibility-Florida

Physicians for Social Responsibility-Sacramento

Plan of Action in a Changing Era

Ploughshares Fund

PNND-Youth Program South Asia

Portsmouth/Piketon Residents for Environmental Safety and Security (PRESS)

Proposition One Campaign for a Nuclear-Free Future

Remembering Hiroshima, Imagining Peace

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Takoma Park, Maryland

Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center

San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility

Seattle Fellowship of Reconciliation

Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, Iowa USA

Sisters, Home Visitors of Mary

Stop the Arms Race Political Action Committee

Taos Environmental Film Festival

The Boundary Peace Initiative

The Egyptian Office For Trade

The Nuclear Resister

The Toda Peace Institute

Tri-Valley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment)

Tynedale Green Party

Union of Concerned Scientists

Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community

United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries

United for Peace and Justice

Veterans For Peace

Veterans for Peace Chapter 90 Binghamton NY

Veterans For Peace Linus Pauling Chapter 132

Veterans for Peace the Hector Black Chapter

Veterans For Peace-Chapter 113-Hawaii

Veterans For Peace, San Diego, Hugh Thompson Memorial Chapter 91

Veterans For Peace Chapter 35

War Prevention Initiative

Washington Against Nuclear Weapons Coalition

Washington Physicians For Social Responsibility

We The Faithful

West Seattle For Peace and Justice

Western States Legal Foundation

Win Without War

Women’s Action for New Directions

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom US

Womens’ International League for Peace & Freedom - Des Moines Branch

World Beyond War Aotearoa New Zealand

World Future Council

Youth Arts New York, Hibakusha Stories