THE Annual Nagasaki Day commemoration ceremony took place in Park Square, Leeds, on Friday, August 9 at 11am. This was the time that the second atomic bomb to be used in World War II was dropped over Nagasaki.

A two minute’s silence was held at 11am, followed by the laying of a memorial wreath by the former Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Eileen Taylor. She then read out the 2024 Nagasaki Peace Declaration.

This was followed by a reading of the 2024 Hiroshima Declaration by Councillor Adrian McCluskey.

Former Leeds City Councillor and former chair of City Council Peacelinks and Nuclear Free Local Authorities David Blackburn then spoke about the importance of continuing to work together to promote peace and understanding.

There were three ‘guest’ speakers. Hazel Costello from the Menwith Hill Accountability Campaign, Tim Deveraux from the Movement for the Abolition of War, and Dave Webb from Yorkshire CND. All three stressed the need to avoid any future use of nuclear weapons and to work towards their abolition.

Music for the event was provided by the choir ‘Hands Across’.

The ceremony was organised by the Yorkshire Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.