World marks 81st anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings

Ceremonies were held across Japan and internationally to mark the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In Hiroshima, a memorial organized by the Korean Residents Union in Japan honored South Korean victims, with Kim Ki‑sung, head of the Hiroshima branch, emphasizing the need to pass on the history of those killed. The United States ambassador to Japan, George Glass, skipped the official peace ceremonies, sending deputy Aaron Snipe in his place.

The parents of Iranian schoolboy Makan Nasiri, killed in a February airstrike, attended the Hiroshima ceremony, joining other Iranian victims of past conflicts invited by the local nonprofit Moct. Iran’s ambassador in Hiroshima, Peyman Seadat, condemned recent U.S.‑Israeli attacks as a repeat of Hiroshima’s tragedy.

Parallel commemorations took place in Europe and the United States: the Italian Red Cross highlighted nuclear‑disarmament advocacy; a peace rally was organized in Besançon, France; a candlelight vigil was held in Weiden, Germany, warning of new NATO missile deployments; and Peace Action of Wisconsin staged a “Lanterns for Peace” event in Milwaukee. These gatherings underscored ongoing calls for nuclear abolition and remembrance of the bombings’ human cost.