Our August newsletter is being brought to you by our National Coordinator Alley McDonald and Co-Chair Lyn Adamson.

We want to honour VOW member Charmian Ferguson and her contributions to peace work; recognize VOW's new local chapter in Calgary; highlight our Youth Peace Campaigner Sarah Rohleder's upcoming webinar: Reflections on the ICAN Hiroshima Youth G7 Summit, and VOW's 2023 Hybrid Peace Leadership Retreat.

Be sure to scroll all the way down for upcoming Hiroshima & Nagasaki events, calls to action, & recommended resources! Don't miss it!

VOW's work of peace, anti-war and demilitarization merits your support! Make a donation. Even better, join our growing number of Monthly Peace Partners. Consider $5 or $500 or any amount in between. Become a Peace Partner today!

Come to listen to VOW and WILPF's peace campaigner, Sarah, and her fellow youth disarmament activists, Anastasia and Farheen, talk about their incredible trip to Hiroshima, Japan to attend the ICAN G7 Youth Summit on Nuclear Disarmament in April. Listen to what youth are doing to abolish nuclear weapons. They will also discuss what countries like Canada should to eliminate the worst weapons of mass destruction and ensure a safe future for young people.

This webinar is jointly organized by the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW), the Women's International League for Peace & Freedom (WILPF) Canada and Reverse the Trend (RTT). In commemoration of the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 and to honour the call of the Hibakusha survivors: ban the bomb! More info, please visit: www.vowpeace.org

VOW welcomes our new local VOW chapter in Calgary! Already active, VOW's Calgary chapter have planned their first event. If you are in Calgary on August 14th, please reach out to them to attend!

War, Peace, and the Climate Emergency with Tamara Lorincz

PhD Candidate, Balsillie School of International Affairs, member of Canadian Women for Peace (VOW), and Women's International League for Peace (WILP), and Fellow of the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute.

What: Join in for an Anti-War picket, followed by a talk delivered by Tamara. Co-sponsored by VOW and the Calgary Peace Council.

When: August 14th, picket at 5:30pm, presentation at 7:00pm.

Where: Calgary, Alberta. Contact calgarypeacecouncil@gmail.com to register. Location to be provided.

VOW would like to share our condolences to the Ferguson family, and our deepest respect for Charmian Ferguson who passed away this past July. We want to honour Charmian by sharing words from her daughter, and VOW member, Kate Ferguson.

"Mom’s peace activism started back in that little community [in a small town outside of Kamloops, British Columbia] where she started a local chapter of Voice of Women [in 1960].

Mom continued her peace activities in Kamloops and was a founding member of the Kamloops Peace Council. She was often in the local papers with one of her campaigns. She worked relentlessly one year making teddy bears, calling them Peace Bears, as an anti-war toys campaign the months before Christmas. The Kamloops Peace Council still carries on with their annual Walk for Peace and Social Justice some 40 years later. I believe it’s the longest running one in Canada, and maybe the only community left doing it. She welcomed young men, dodging the draft for the immoral Vietnam war, into our home and worried and fretted over what would happen to them."

In "Not Just a Tea Party: Celebrating Women's Contributions to Community Life," Charmian speaks in her chapter of being impacted by the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the "Ban the BomB" movement. Charmian started the local VOW Chapter from her home, taking part in letter writing campaigns to the government, raising money, and putting on educational events. Charmian's amazing peace work and value as person will never be forgotten.  

Please reach out to VOW at info@vowpeace.org to donate in honour of Charmian Ferguson.

If you decide to go to see the film Oppenheimer, or live near a local movie theatre showing the film, take part in our call to action! VOW encourages you to download, print off and handout our flyer at the theatre.

This flyer will inform movie goers about the devastating atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima & Nagasaki and the upcoming memorial events happening across Canada. It will also touch on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and offer an informative link to learn more. Lastly, we share VOW's webinar: "Reflections on the ICAN Hiroshima Youth G7 Summit" on August 8th @ 7:30pm ET.

This month, VOW and WILPF Canada are collecting money to support Haitian activist Gaby Paul and her rural, agricultural organization “Fondation Julia & Jade” in Jeremie

Gaby spoke on our webinar “HAITI BETRAYED: Canada's Role in the Current Crisis” this past February. You can watch the recording here

Elaine Briere, the filmmaker of the documentary “Haiti Betrayed” will kindly collect money until the end of August 31 for Gaby’s Foundation and other Haitian civil society initiatives. You can send an e-transfer to Elaine: ebriere4647@icloud.com

Watch Elaine’s important film “Haiti Betrayed” about what Canada has done to this Caribbean country here

We want to thank all of you who were able to attend, donate , volunteer, and support VOW in celebrating our 63rd anniversary as a feminist peace organization. We created a meaningful space to come together thanks to our wonderful board member, Janis Alton, and her generosity to hold the event on her beautiful property! We indulged in fresh Ontario strawberries & shortcake, fundraised through our silent auction and treasures table, took in exquisite poetry, listened to members and guests speak about their connection to VOW, and acknowledged our common value and mission to create a culture of peace.

We are so appreciative for all of you and we look forward to seeing you at our next event!

Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace members shared the “Peace Knot Bombs” banner that was created during COVID by women from across Turtle Island as a commemoration for the Yemeni schoolchildren killed by a Lockheed-Martin bomb.

Planned by Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace, No Harbour for War, Raging Grannies, World BEYOND War.

Find the video below under Part 3- 2:00 – 2:15 pm EDT / 3:00 – 3:15 pm Atlantic Time, Halifax, Canada. 

Join the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and The Elders for a discussion about our shared nuclear history, current challenges, and possible futures. Whether or not you have already seen Christopher Nolan's new movie "Oppenheimer" about the "father of the bomb," this promises to be a valuable conversation about one of the most pressing issues of our time.

Speakers include Setsuko Thurlow, a Hiroshima survivor and campaigner for ICAN, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017; Juan Manuel Santos, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016, a member of The Elders, and former President of Columbia; and professor Robert Rosner of the University of Chicago, with Bulletin President and CEO Rachel Bronson acting as moderator.

Panel discussion with speakers: Tamara Lorincz, PhD Candidate, Balsillie School of International Affairs, Wilfrid Laurier University and member of the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom-Canada & Two local peace activists. 

Tamara recently attended the “International Summit for Peace in Ukraine” in Vienna and did a tour of Russia, Finland, Latvia, Poland and Romania and will share her experiences.

Free, all welcome. Organized by the Regina Peace Council (Contact: 306-718-8010)

Panel discussion with speakers: Tamara Lorincz & Local peace activists

Tamara recently attended the “International Summit for Peace in Ukraine” in Vienna and did a tour of Russia, Finland, Latvia, Poland and Romania and will share her experiences.

Free, all welcome. Organized by the Edmonton Peace Council.

Speaker: Tamara Lorincz, PhD Candidate, Balsillie School of International Affairs, Wilfrid Laurier University. Member of the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom-Canada. Canadian Foreign Policy Institute Fellow.

Free, all welcome. Organized by the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace & Women's International League for Peace

Disclaimer: Event does not represent the views of the Cold Lake Public Library.

An event to discuss the ideas and proposals in the joint statement to the NPT Prep Com entitled Common Security and Nuclear Deterrence: How to replace the current reliance on nuclear weapons with sustainable security for all.

The statement calls on the nuclear armed and allied states to replace their reliance on nuclear deterrence with common security alternatives, including mechanisms to facilitate negotiation, mediation, arbitration, adjudication, regional organizations and the application of international law to ensure fairness and security for all.

Join us for an eye-opening event, 90 Seconds to Midnight: Nuclear Weapons & Climate Change. Discover the connections between nuclear weapons and climate change, and their impact on our planet's survival.

Prepare to be engaged as GenZ documentary filmmaker and social justice advocate, Kasha Sequoia Slavner, speaks on the 78th anniversary of the atomic bombings. Kasha's upcoming effort, 1.5 Degrees of Peace, will address the dual threat of nuclear weapons and climate change.

Performances will include Grammy-nominated flautist Ron Korb and Toronto's Raging Grannies. The event will conclude with a Lantern Ceremony.

Join us at noon on August 6th as Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace commemorate the Hiroshima & Nagasaki bombings that took place in Japan in 1945.

We will read the proclamation that will be shared by Mayor Mike Savage, and there will be information and a peace dove and peace crane activity for children. We will paint a circle of doves and cranes on the 'parade' ground.

Honouring Peace is a free family friendly event that will be held outdoors at the beautiful Japanese-style Gorge Park Pavilion, on the 78th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in1945. Each year, peace is celebrated and its importance remembered through music, poetry, dance and drumming that moves and inspires us. No tickets are needed but please reserve your place on Eventbrite.

Honouring Peace is supported by the Greater Victoria Peace School (GVPS), with support from the Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society (VNCS), the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Canada (IPPNWC) and the Victoria Multifaith Society (VMS).

Every August 6 we float homemade paper lanterns on Pinafore Lake in St. Thomas. We have a minute of silence followed by the setting of the lanterns on the water. It's a calming, healing event. This year a local violinist will play at the water's edge.

We also have a potluck picnic at 6:30 for anyone who would like to attend. It's a bring your own dishes and cutlery event. We try to make it waste-free. If you don't want to do the picnic just be there a little before dusk for the lantern floating.

Join us on unceded Algonquin territory at 5th Ave. & Queen Elizabeth Driveway along the Rideau Canal to commemorate those killed by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan on August 6th and 9th, 1945, and to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Come create messages of peace to accompany the lanterns, take in music, listen to the commemoration program, and be a part of the lantern floating.

Pivot2Peace (South Georgian Bay Chapter of World BEYOND War) will be marking this horrible anniversary at Friendship Gardens in Collingwood, ON (on Minnesota St. just north of the police station) August 9th, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.

The Friendship Gardens is dedicated to the sister
city relationship between Collingwood, ON and Katano, Japan.

This unique gathering brings together a diverse lineup of talent, including five hilarious comedians, four inspiring speakers and a captivating musician, all driven by a shared commitment to promote world peace.

Through laughter, thought-provoking discussions and soul-stirring melodies, this event aims to create a space where the power of humour, ideas, and music converge to facilitate important conversations surrounding nuclear disarmament and the preservation of human rights. Together we will explore the impact of Hiroshima bombing and its lasting consequences on both the survivors and the world at large.

Every year, peace groups organize events in cities and communities around the word to remember the horrific atomic bombing by the United States of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, on August 6 and August 9, 1945.

The events typically include guest speakers, music, and lantern ceremonies where paper, hand-made lanterns are floated on ponds.

Click the button below for a list of events being held across Canada.

#NoWar2023 Conference: Nonviolent Resistance to Militarism will be held online on Friday, Sept. 22 - Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023. This will be a global 3-day conference on nonviolent resistance in the face of invasions, occupations, and military violence

Ending all wars means closing all military bases. An obvious place to start is with bases maintained by nations outside their borders. Of these foreign military bases, the vast majority belong to one nation, the United States. World BEYOND War works globally to block the creation and expansion of bases, and to close existing facilities. To get involved, sign our peace pledge or contact us.

A major part of this is the interactive map that we introduced late last year. Anyone can view the map, which is actually in the form of a globe. A viewer can spin the globe and clearly see where the U.S. foreign bases are. The viewer can click on any base, and see a variety of information about that base.

Now is the time to stop this planned purchase before it happens!

The government's own Letter of Interest to potential armed drone suppliers lays out scenarios for Canadian military drone use. One describes surveillance of public protest within Canada. Another scenario is modeled after the infamous US drone strike program, featuring a drone bombing “Fighting Age Males” in the Middle East after spotting one of them “holding a small radio or cell phone." 

These scenarios are deeply disturbing. The Canadian military should not even be considering these kinds of activities, let alone purchasing billions of dollars of new weapons systems to carry them out.

Take action now to cancel the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) planned armed drone purchase.

Send an email to your MP calling for Canada to cancel the planned purchase of its first armed drones.

On 6 August 1945, the US dropped an atomic bomb called “Little Boy” on Hiroshima in Japan. Three days later a second atomic bomb called “Fat Man” was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. These nuclear explosions killed hundreds of thousands of people.

The Hibakusha
“We are the survivors of the nuclear bombs that hit our home cities." (Tsutomu, Sadako, & Setsuko)

Survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings have helped drive the movement against nuclear weapons for over 70 years. Please donate to our appeal to make sure the stories of the Hibakusha continue to be told and strengthen our campaign to prevent another Hiroshima or Nagasaki.

On 20 July, Secretary-General António Guterres presented to Member States his Policy Brief on A New Agenda for Peace, which outlines his vision for multilateral efforts for peace and security, based on international law, for a world in transition. It outlines an extensive and ambitious set of recommendations that recognize the inter-linked nature of many of the challenges we face.

Think & Resist-Conversations about Feminism and Peace is a podcast series that explores how feminism can redefine security.

Each episode features representatives from WILPF’s Women, Peace & Security and Disarmament teams moderating discussions with experts about different themes in international peace and security from a feminist lens. The conversations explore relevant policymaking and practice, identify opportunities and gaps, and recommend ways to advance change.

In CROSSINGS, international women peacemakers set out on a risky journey across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), calling for an end to a war that has divided the Korean peninsula. The groundbreaking mission of Women Cross DMZ is framed with historic newsreels and punctuated with contemporary news coverage.

The women activists, including VOW's very own Janis Alton, Christine Ahn, Gloria Steinem, Leymah Gbowee, Mairead Maguire, Ann Wright and Medea Benjamin, dare to tread forbidden territory to draw global attention and demand a seat at the table to advocate for peace.

The 2023 report “Moving Away from Mass Destruction: 109 exclusions of nuclear weapon producers” profiles financial institutions with policies that restrict or completely exclude investments in the companies involved in nuclear weapon production.

Atomic bomb survivors in Japan aiming for a nuclear weapons-free world are calling on the government to push nuclear-armed nations for movement in this direction.

The Japan NGO Network for Nuclear Weapons Abolition on Tuesday submitted a letter to Foreign Ministry officials in charge of nuclear disarmament efforts.

The letter requests that the government call on nuclear-armed nations to fulfill their obligation under the treaty to continue negotiations on nuclear-arms reduction.

Be sure to renew your membership and donate to support our important work building a culture of peace in Canada and so that we can continue to hire youth throughout the year. Make a donation today!