Mayors for Peace A-bomb poster exhibiton in IJmuiden and Heemskerk

February 2, 2015

Report from Ms. Ineke Meintjens-Ooteman, Women for Peace IJmond

Women for Peace IJmond took the initiative to present on September 6th 2014 the Mayors for Peace A-bomb Poster Exhibition in the library of the municipality of IJmuiden. Mr. F. Weerwind, Mayor of Ijmuiden, a member of Mayors for Peace, opened the exhibition by folding the 1,000th paper crane to join 999 others as a symbol of the struggle against nuclear weapons. The story of Sadako, a girl from Hiroshima who suffered leukemia and died 10 years after the bombing, was told, as well. In this period where there is so much worldwide suffering from war, the speakers made an appeal to all people to turn the tide. These problems are in the hands of mankind to change.

Pax, a peace movement in the Netherlands, had started a campaign to collect 40,000 signatures. These are needed to get the case of the nuclear weapons discussed in the Parliament. We asked the 30 visitors present at the opening to sign this petition. In several local newspapers we asked attention for this exhibition. The exhibition in IJmuiden was held from September 6 to 30, 2014.

In the town-hall of the municipality of Heemskerk the exhibition was also presented on December 10, the International Day of Human Rights, and was open to the public until December 29. It was opened by Mrs. M. Baltus, Mayor of Heemskerk, also a member of Mayors for Peace in the same way by folding the 1,000th paper crane.

>Related news: The municipality of Heemskerk website

>Related video on the event in Heemskerk

>Related video: the mayor of Heemskerk folding the 1,000th paper crane

Poster for the exhibition in IJmuiden
(Photo Credit: Women for Peace IJmond)