'Lantern Ceremony'

The Lantern Ceremony is an ancient tradition celebrated in many Asian countries around the world, including China, Thailand and Japan. The Lantern Festival is usually held on a Buddhist holiday on the night of a full moon. Since the worlds first atomic bombings of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 and three short days later Nagasaki on 9 August 1945 this ceremony has taken on a new meaning in Japan. Japans Buddhists believe the souls of their ancestors visit them every year so they put out lanterns to guide the spirits and when the visit ends the lantern is set adrift to light the path back to heaven.

Now every year on the 6 August it not only commemorates those who died in the worlds first two nuclear attacks, it also includes all those killed in past wars and is an expression of hope that nuclear weapons will never be used again. Each lantern is a symbol of a personal commitment to create peace in this world and hopes for the future. Held every year in Japan it started in Vancouver in 1983 and many other places in Canada and around the world. The Hiroshima Day Lantern Ceremony is a symbol for peace and abolishment of all Nuclear Weapons.

Hiroshima Memorial Peace
Lantern Ceremony 2008

Burnaby Central Park 'Lower South Pond'
Wednesday August 6th
Time: 7:30 pm

Guest speakers:
Acting Mayor, Garth Evans - Burnaby Councillor.
Dr. Wade Huntley - Simon's Centre for Disarmament & Non Proliferation.
Ellen Clague & Joshua Cox - VSA9 delegates.

Music by Solidarity Notes Labour Choir.
Lanterns provided by Denis Laplante & Teresa Gagne.

Sponsored by Veterans Against Nuclear Arms. My thanks to everyone involved who helped facilitate this event. - Dave Laskey.

Short video Hiroshima Memorial Peace Latern Ceremony (YouTube video by lorene1voice)

Ceremony Photos