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