A ceremony was held in the West Flemish town of Ieper on Wednesday morning to commemorate the atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 80 years ago to the day. Ieper itself was raised to the ground during the First World War. The West Flemish town is known the world over for its Menin Gate and as place where the Last Post is sounded every evening to remember those that fell in battle.
Ieper is also a City of Peace and as such wishes to play a role in remembering the attacks on 6 August 1945. During the ceremony, officials raised the Mayors for Peace flag and made an appeal against the use of nuclear weapons.
Ieper has been part of the International Mayors for Peace Network since 1998. It is the network’s lead city in Belgium and vice-chair of the organisation’s global network. A delegation from the West Flemish town attends the quadrennial General Assembly of Mayors for Peace in Nagasaki.
The Mayor Katrien Desomer (Christian democrat) travelled to Japan to attend the assembly. Speaking at Wednesday morning’s commemoration, Ms Desomer said that “The horror of Hiroshima and Nagasaki must never be forgotten. With this ceremony, we aim to send a clear message that peace and dialogue are the only way forward. As a city of peace, Ieper remembers and keeps vigil.”
Ieper is at the heart of the area of West Flanders that was the site of numerous battles during the First World War. Each evening this is remembered at the Menin Gate where the Last Post is sounded in memory of the soldiers that fell in battle.
During the ceremony in Ieper’s Astrid Park, Alderman Stephaan De Roo (Christian democrat) stressed the importance of the accounts given by survivors in raising awareness of the catastrophic consequences of the use of nuclear weapons.
“It is alarming that the taboo surrounding the use of nuclear weapons is currently being challenged. It is important to remind ourselves that nuclear weapons are the most destructive weapons the world has ever known.. The nuclear powers are modernising and upgrading their arsenals. New countries appear to be preparing to acquire nuclear weapons and are making threats to use them”, Mr De Roo said.
Wouter Sinaeve of the Flanders Fields Museum read a moving testimony from survivor Akihiro Takahashi. Mr Sinaeve said that Akihiro Takahashi’s remains a powerful one and “today our message is clearly even more relevant. While the nuclear weapons issue remained taboo for a long time, it now suddenly seems to be back on the agenda. Our country is buying F35 aircraft that can carry nuclear bombs. It makes you wonder whether history has really taught us anything.”
