Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki: an invitation to peace
When you walk into a quiet church and see posters depicting the aftermath of an atomic bombing, what do you feel? For Debbie Grisdale, and for the 300 visitors who came to St John the Evangelist Anglican Church in Ottawa this past May, it was a powerful mix of sorrow, curiosity, and hope.
They gathered to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The exhibition’s goal was clear: to remember, and to remind. It succeeded in both.
Why remember?
On August 6th and 9th, 1945, nuclear bombs devastated two cities. But these bombings weren’t only historical events—they remain a warning today. Nuclear weapons continue to threaten life everywhere, both through their existence and long-lasting ecological harm.
A community gathered
Over eight days, the church’s chapel transformed into a gallery of truth-telling. Thirty posters, gifted by the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum thanks to survivor Setsuko Thurlow, told stories of suffering, survival, and resilience. Five more posters, created by Carleton University public history students, highlighted Canada’s connections to nuclear weapons—from mining uranium to current global policies.
On opening night, more than 60 people gathered. Speakers included law professor and human rights activist Alex Neve, Rev. Gary van der Meer, students Amber Collins and Gracie Henneberry, Shane Roberts from the United Nations Association in Canada, and Debbie Grisdale, as part of Ban the Bomb Ottawa. The speakers shared reflections, hopes, and a commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons.
The exhibition wasn’t just about reading posters. People prayed together at a mid-week service led by Rev. Gary, danced amongst the images one morning to the haunting pop song Hiroshima/Nagasaki by Gabrielle Roth and the Mirrors, listened to the symphony Step forward and toll this bell for peace by Robert Frederick Jones, and rang a small bell installed to invite visitors to sound out their prayers for peace.
These guestbook words resonated deeply: “Everyone should see this.”
Another visitor wrote, “Great work… it is very clear and effective. Your message comes across clear as day.” Many wept. Others shared memories of Japan or wartime experiences. More than 160 signed a petition urging Canada to make nuclear disarmament a foreign policy and national defence priority. The petition also calls on Canada to urge all nuclear-armed states to accede to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) or negotiate a binding instrument for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. This petition continues to grow. Its clear demand is that Canada must lead.
Next steps and unrealized hopes
One dream remained unmet. Despite reaching out to teachers and the public school board, no classes could visit due to budget constraints. Teachers told them they would integrate the posters into lessons if they could be brought to the schools.
That’s what they hope to do next. In August, the posters will display in Ottawa City Hall, followed by a Catholic parish in September for the UN International Day of Peace. Debbie and her organizing team are exploring ways to lend them to schools this fall.
Funded by Friends
This initiative was organized by Debbie Grisdale for Ban the Bomb Ottawa and Ottawa Monthly Meeting and Mary Girard and Kris Wilson-Yang, members of Ottawa Monthly Meeting and co-organizers in the annual work of commemoration. They were supported by a Community Peacemaker Grant from Canadian Friends Service Committee (CFSC), helping Ban the Bomb Ottawa and Ottawa Monthly Meeting to share these vital stories and advocate for a nuclear-free world. To learn more about how CFSC funds grassroots peace work like this, visit https://QuakerService.ca/Grants
Will you ring the bell for peace?
The next time you hear a bell toll, let it be a reminder that peace isn’t passive. It’s created by people like us, choosing to remember, to act, and to hope.
This article is based on a report submitted by Debbie Grisdale. Mel Burns is CFSC’s Peace Program Coordinator.
