Burlington Mayor Declares August 6 Nuclear Disarmament Day

Submitted by Carol Urner on Sat, 08/09/2008 - 2:46pm
in

Copied here is the Mayor's proclamation delivered at the Burlington, Vermont August 6 Nuclear Disarmament Day Event on August 6. We hope it can be a model for many similar proclamations next year. Photos of the event can be viewed at http://lenny-t.home.att.net/wilpf.html . Please circulate the national petition originated by Vermont WILPF calling on Congress to declare August 6 national Nuclear Disarmament Day: http://www.wilpf.org/files/2008NuclearDisarmPetition.pdf This would be a wonderful way to support Mayors for Peace and initiate the UN Decade for Disarmament, 2010 to 2020.

P R O C L A M A T I O N

WHEREAS, sixty-three years have passed since the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on the civilian population of Hiroshima, Japan; and

WHEREAS, thirty-seven years later, on June 24, 1982 at the 2nd Special Session on Disarmament held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, the Mayor of Hiroshima announced a program of transnational solidarity among cities to facilitate collective efforts toward the elimination of nuclear weapons; and

WHEREAS, Mayors of Peace is a body made up of more than 2,000 cities in over 130 countries and regions that is now preparing for a new campaign: “The UN Decade of Disarmament - 2010 to 2020” and have expressed their support for August 6th as a meaningful date to recognize as Nuclear Disarmament Day; and

WHEREAS, Nuclear Disarmament Day is a day to reflect on the consequences of dropping the atomic bomb and to reform our way of using the power of nuclear technology; and

WHEREAS, on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 the people of Burlington have the opportunity to confront the past and face the future with a vision calling for non-proliferation, disarmament, and world peace;

THEREFORE, I, Bob Kiss, Mayor of the City of Burlington, Vermont declare August 6, 2008 as

NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT DAY

In the City of Burlington, Vermont and ask all citizens to pause and reflect on ways in our lifetime to bring about world peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons.

_______________
Bob Kiss, Mayor