Every August the Peace Crane Project of Sonoma County observes the anniversary of the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima (August 6th) and Nagasaki (August 9th) with a public remembrance event and exhibit.

The Peace Crane Project of Sonoma County is an all-volunteer group committed to creating a world free of nuclear weapons where all people can learn to live together in harmony and peace.

The pandemic has prevented a commemorative gathering this year. In its place, we’ve painted “The Shadows of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” The shadows referred to are all that remains of ordinary people vaporized in the instant that the bomb detonated overhead. Hiroshima Shadows can be seen in and around Helen Putnam Plaza just off Petaluma Boulevard on August 6.

The paint is temporary and will fade over time.

Even though the gathering cannot be held this year, we have another exciting activity to share. Peace Crane Project of Sonoma County is fortunate to have teamed with Green Legacy Hiroshima whose mission it is to grow from seed and distribute all over the world descendant Survivor Trees. All Survivor trees are directly descended from trees that miraculously withstood the blast, immense heat, fire, and radiation of the atomic bomb that was detonated at low altitude over the center of Hiroshima, resulting in mass death and total destruction. Our trees are now three-year-old saplings soon to be planted on the campus of Sonoma State University in remembrance of those who perished.

As we remember and commemorate the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we are also mindful, 77 years later, of the ongoing threat of nuclear war that unfortunately makes headlines today.