Report by Ms. Loréna Schlicht, Mayors for Peace France (AFCDRP)
As a member of Mayors for Peace France, Cordes-sur-Ciel responded to the call for promoting the culture of peace and tolerance between August 6 and 9, the dates of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings.
Mayor Bernard Andrieu of Cordes-sur Ciel and Deputy Mayor Catherine Manuel for Sustainable Development of Cordes-sur-Ciel invited elected representatives of Mayors for Peace France members, such as Mayor Michel Soriano of Lasseran and Mayor Martine Laborde of Cazeuneuve, and Loréna Schlicht, Coordinator of Mayors for Peace France, for the following two events:
Ceremony:
On August 7th, at 5:30 pm, a ceremony was organized featuring the flag of Mayors for Peace France. Mayors, elected officials, and representatives delivered speeches to the citizens present. Representing Mayors for Peace France, Loréna Schlicht declared, “Our thoughts today are with the hibakusha and their families. […] Faced with the risk of nuclear weapons being used, we must continue to take action and mobilize our consciences to overcome this threat.”
During the ceremony, Mayor Soriano of Lasseran presented Mayor Andrieu of Cordes-sur-Ciel with a peace painting and a ginkgo tree. This tree was nurtured by Lasseran from seeds of an atomic bomb survivor ginkgo in Hiroshima, which were shared by the Mayors for Peace Secretariat.
Land Art for Peace Exhibition:
On August 8th, Loréna Schlicht collaborated with the Sentinels of Peace Association during their Land Art for Peace exhibition in Cordes-sur-Ciel, discussing joint projects with members of Mayors for Peace France. The group aims to unite individuals for a peaceful world through diverse initiatives, complementing the mission to end nuclear weapons and foster world peace.
Photos: courtesy of AFCDRP–Mayors for Peace France