Mayors for Peace in Western Australia held its inaugural conference in Fremantle on Monday, September 22. This is the first ever Mayors for Peace regional conference in Western Australia.
On Sunday, the day before the conference, a peace walk was undertaken in freezing rain, followed by large plantings by councilors and walkers at a rededicated Peace Grove. That evening several of the delegates for the conference had dinner with the Japanese Consul-General which provided a good opportunity to make connections with the Australian peace movement.
During the Monday morning session, representatives from six city councils discussed issues related to the impact of nuclear weapons, the role of cities, Mayors for Peace and other organizations (MAPW, IPPNW, Red Cross, ICAN, Nuclear Futures, AVP), including measures to protect our cities and citizens and to build a culture of peace. A ‘Fremantle Declaration‘ calling for the end of nuclear weapons was proposed and this will be sent to all 134 WA councils and thence to state and federal governments.
In the afternoon session, more than 200 people, mostly Year 10 and 11 students, listened to Ms. Junko Morimoto, an artist living in eastern Australia, about her exposure to the A-bombing of Hiroshima at the age of 13. Representatives from ICAN and the Red Cross also gave speeches along with a local indigenous activist.
That evening Ms. Morimoto created a large artwork, arising from her Hiroshima A-bomb experiences, in front of another mixed age audience.
Mayors for Peace in Western Australia have agreed to meet again in a year, aiming for practical outcomes.
Funding for the Mayors for Peace conference was supplied by the City of Fremantle, Quakers’ Peace and Legislative Committee, Consul General of Japan in Perth, and organizations covering their own costs (Red Cross, ICAN, Nuclear Futures). Adrian Glamorgan and Elizabeth PO’ volunteered their time to develop and organize the conference, and many other volunteers willingly assisted.
The first of two trees planted at Fremantle’s Peace Grove in freezing rain at the end of the 4.4km walk.
Meeting the delegates at City of Fremantle offices, Mayors for Peace Sept 22, 2014
Ms Junko Moriomoto with delegates and notable visitors to the Mayors for Peace conference outside the Fremantle
Town Hall, Sept 22, 2014
Fremantle Town Hall event, Mayors for Peace Sept 22, 2014
Ms. Morimoto signing the Mayors for Peace banner
Ms. Morimoto after creating her artwork, meeting with students and Fr Frank Sheehan at the Centre for Ethics
You can hear highlights from the conference speeches at the following links:
(“Understorey”, a weekly environmental program on RTR FM 92.1):
>Excerpts from Gem Romuld (ICAN) and Della Rae Morrison’s (WANFA) speeches
>Excerpts from Junko Morimoto (Hibakusha) and Yvette Zegenhagen’s (Australian Red Cross) speeches