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Lanterns for Peace” reflections remember victims of atomic bombings

August 7, 2026 · 1 min read

msc

Fri, 08/07/2026 - 15:45

Each year, the Lanterns for Peace global campaign, on 6 and 9 August, remembers the victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The commemoration is not only a moment of mourning, but a genuine call to conscience.

Image

One of the 22 lanterns sent from the city of Hiroshima to Geneva.

Photo: Marianne Ejdersten/WCC

In Geneva, an interfaith Lanterns for Peace ceremony was held 6 August at Chapelle Notre-Dame, organized by Pax Christi in Switzerland and the Interreligious Platform in Geneva.

The Lanterns for Peace campaign was developed by Pax Christi International and the Hiroshima Coventry Club (Touro Project).

Inspired by the lantern ceremonies held each year in Hiroshima, the campaign invites communities around the world to organise local commemorative events using traditional lanterns as symbols of remembrance, peace, hope, and nuclear disarmament.

Beacons of hope

“ The Lanterns for Peace floated each 6 August on the river in Hiroshima are individual beacons of compassion and hope, ” said…

Source: World Council of Churches · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (5) 🌐 Show original

Grace Bennett

The lanterns from Hiroshima reaching Geneva is a nice touch. I hadn't heard of the Hiroshima Coventry Club before – that link to the wartime bombing there makes sense. Simple symbols like that feel more real than big speeches.

Николай Атанасов

I didn't know they were sending exactly 22 lanterns from Hiroshima to Geneva. I liked the symbol with Coventry - after the bombing they knew what it was there too. In our youth group we might think about something similar with simple candles instead of big speeches.

Nikola Todorović

The fact that they sent exactly 22 lanterns from Hiroshima to Geneva is interesting, I didn't know about that number. The symbol with Coventry is clear to me, and they have been through the fire so they know. In our parish, after vespers, we could light one candle each for peace, without long speeches.

Marija Savić

That's a nice suggestion, Nikola. Here, after vespers, we also light candles for peace, but we usually place them in front of the icon of the Virgin. And did you see that they from Hiroshima sent exactly 22 lanterns because so many cities are partners in that action? We could try next year with a couple of lanterns in the church yard.

Aleksandar Stojanović

That's a good idea, Maria. We also light candles after vespers, but lanterns in the yard would look nicer and maybe attract the neighbors to stay a little longer. Did you think we should let them go on the river or just have them stand on pedestals?