Date/Time
Date(s) - 06/08/2023
14:00 - 15:00

Categories

• Hiroshima Day

The 2023 Hiroshima Remembrance Service will be held in Coventry Cathedral from 2 to 3pm on 6 August.

Hiroshima was largely destroyed by an atomic bomb on August 6 1945 — one of two bombs detonated by the US. The second was detonated over Nagasaki on August 9. The two bombs combined killed up to 266,000 people, most of whom were civilians. These bombings remain the only use of nuclear weapons in an armed conflict.

The city of Coventry which suffered a devastating bombing in 1940 has found common cause with Hiroshima in making the case for peace. In Hiroshima itself the attack is commemorated each year at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. In Coventry an event is held each year in the cathedral build out of the ruins of the medieval cathedral destroyed in 1941.

In 2023 event, organised by the Lord Mayor’s Committee for Peace and Reconciliation, will welcome the Lord Mayor of Coventry, the representative of the Embassy of Japan and the Japanese community in Coventry among others.

The planned activities are:

• Organ music played by Tony Edwards
• The peace bell rung by Joe Clifford
• Introduction by ceremony leader Manjit Kaur
• Readings and prayers read by members of Coventry Lord Mayor’s Committee.
• Exchange of greetings between Lord Mayor of Coventry and Mayor of Hiroshima
• Sadako’s story: a drama by sixth form Cardinal Newman Catholic School
• Making of paper cranes of peace led by Jo Hallett
• Reflection by Lord Bishop Christopher Cocksworth in his role as a member of the House of Lords
• The liturgy of reconciliation Coventry Cathedral

Book your seat at

The Cathedral event will be live-streamed at https://www.facebook.com/cathlivestream/videos
Please ask one of the organisers to locate you in a suitable place if you would prefer not to be seen in the live stream.

It will be followed by a civic gathering in the Metropolis Restaurant between 3.30pm and 5pm.

Further information about Sadako Sasaki can be found here. A video of a talk by a Hiroshima bombing survivor can be found here.

See here for information about Bishop Christopher in the House of Lords.

For further information please contact David Fish on 07779 784 786 or davidfishcf@msn.com