On July 8, in over 270 German cities, the Mayors for Peace flag was hoisted in front of many town halls. Flying the flag on this day signifies opposition to nuclear weapons and the hope for a peaceful world. It is a reminder of a legal opinion handed down by the International Court of Justice on July 8th, 1996, concluding that even the threat of using nuclear weapons is an offence against international law.
In the City of Hannover, a Vice President of Mayors for Peace and the Lead City of the German Chapter of Mayors for Peace, Mayor Stefan Schostok called for all states to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as soon as possible. “Despite the reduction of nuclear warheads a clear nuclear abolition is not in sight. Therefore we vehemently advocate for the goal of a nuclear weapons-free world.” Then, local peace groups organized a guided bicycle tour to various stations in Hannover showing some possible damages in the case of a nuclear explosion over the city center.
>Related story on the German Mayors for Peace website in German
German Mayors for Peace Flag Day 2018 in front of the Hannover Town Hall
(Photo Courtesy of the City of Hannover)