Bell Ringing Project to Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Dropping of the Atomic Bombs on Japan
August 2020
As the inaugural initiative of the newly created “Japan Committee” of Sister Cities International (SCI), this project will promote the simultaneous ringing of bells in sister cities across the United States and Japan to mark 75 years of peace since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This project calls for citizen diplomats and city leaders to coordinate these bell ringings in sister cities across the United States and Japan. These can be bells big and small—houses of worship, hand bells, call bells, cow bells...anything! Bell ringing should commence at 4:15pm, Wednesday, August 5 (U.S. PDT), to coincide with the actual time and date the first bomb fell on Hiroshima at 8:15am, Thursday, August 6 (Japan time). Bell ringing should occur again at 7:02pm, Saturday, August 8 (U.S. PDT) to coincide with the actual time and date the second bomb fell on Nagasaki at 11:02am, Sunday, August 9 (Japan time). It is each city’s choice to participate on August 5, August 8, or both.
Find more information on this project and how to help your city participate below. If your city is able to participate, we encourage you to document your activities and share them with CJSCN and/or SCI.
Video created by Sister Cities International featuring bell ringing events across Northern California.
U.S.-Japan Sister Cities Bell Ringing Announcement, which explains the background of this project. There is also a Japanese version available here, which you can share with your Japanese sister city in case they would also like to participate in this project.
Press release from SCI regarding the project
City Proclamation Template for participating in the project
For cities that are members of SCI, use this Letter Template about the project to ask your city government to participate