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Tinian peace ceremony marks atomic bombing
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Posted on Aug 04 2008
CNMI residents will gather with students from Japan Wednesday for the 6th annual Tinian Nagasaki Hiroshima Peace Ceremony in order to remember the island’s role in the 1945 atomic bombing of the Japanese cities.
Aug. 6 marks the 53rd anniversary of the B-29 Enola Gay taking off from Tinian before the bomb Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima
“It’s to remember the world-shaking event,” organizer James Mediola, Jr., said.
He said the ceremony acts as a learning and sharing experience between the United States and Japan.
“So we never repeat the atrocity,” he said. “Not just atomic missions, but all wartime causalities are an atrocity, and warfare in general.”
Although Tinian residents did not have a role in the bombing, they can still help bring peace, he said.
“Perhaps since Tinian has a historical role in the atomic missions, perhaps we can promote that notoriety for peace,” he added.
Fourteen students from Koryo High School in Hiroshima, who happened to be visiting the island, will perform during the peace ceremony, Mendiola said.
“I’m pretty sure that’s going to be something special for the community,” Mendiola added.
The event schedule is as follows:
[B]Sounding of the Sirens Ceremony[/B]Location: Children’s Peace Monument, Taga Park—Tinian
9:05am–Opening Remarks
9:15am–Sounding of Emergency Sirens and Moment of Silence (1 min. 30 sec.)
9:18am–Multi-faith Prayer for Peace
[B]Candlelight Vigil Ceremony[/B]Location: Children’s Peace Monument, Taga Park—Tinian
7:00pm–Opening Remarks
7:05pm–Lighting of Candles
7:10pm–Children’s Choir Performance “Imagine”
7:15pm–Special Performance Hiroshima Koryo High School
7:20pm–Special Performance “One” written by U2 and performed by Local Artists
7:25pm–Closing
