A Message Marking the 81st Year Since the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945

As August approaches, our hearts are filled with the shock that struck all peaceloving people in August of 1945, and filled still with the deep sorrow shared whenever the suffering of those days is remembered. We write to you today with deep respect and appreciation for all the Hibakusha have accomplished to ensure that the suffering of nuclear destruction would not be inflicted on any other people.

As beacons for peacemakers around the world, the Hibakusha carry an enduring message: the elimination of nuclear weapons is a goal that must be accomplished.

The members of September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows continue to strive to make this vision a reality. We remember how in 2001, the Hibakusha crossed an ocean bringing compassion and support to the families of those who suffered and died on September 11th. As August approaches, may our words cross the ocean to bring comfort to the Hibakusha and their families, and may our shared efforts toward bringing about a world free of nuclear weapons, a world converted to non-violent conflict resolution and peacemaking, forever bear good fruit.

Together we continue to hope that humanity will learn from history so as to stop making the same mistakes. Together, we each work to educate the peoples of the world that peace is the only answer.

The Members of September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows