From Hiroshima to Hope: Lantern Floating Peace Ceremony at Green Lake, Seattle

Community Event

In Person

Green Lake

Seattle, Washington, United States of America

Date: Aug. 6, 2005

Time: 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

From Hiroshima to Hope
2005 Hiroshima-Nagasaki Remembrance Committee

Seattle- From Hiroshima to Hope is Seattle’s annual peace event honoring the victims of the bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki and all victims of war violence. This year’s ceremony commemorates the 60th anniversary of the bombings. The ceremony will be held Saturday August 6th, from 6:00-9:30 p.m., just south of the Bathhouse Theater on the northwest shore of Green Lake.

People begin gathering at 6:00 for lantern calligraphy and folding of Peace Cranes, at 7:30 a program of musical performances and speakers commences, the candle-lit lanterns are floated at dusk.

This is a community-oriented event that encourages the participation of children. There will be a variety of music including: Taiko, Silk Strings, choirs, Koto, and Shakuhachi.* This year also features a short dramatization, The Story of Sadako, directed by Manuel Cawaling, Emcee for the event and Managing Director at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center.

The program ends with the Toro Nagashi lantern floating ceremony, all attendees are welcome to participate. The lanterns that have been decorated with calligraphy and then candle-lit are put on the lake in remembrance of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and all victims of war and violence. People around the world join in this ceremony for peace each year on the anniversary of the bombings Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

From Hiroshima to Hope has been created by local peace, faith and community organizations every August 6th since the mid 1980s. The Seattle event has grown to the largest anywhere outside of Japan and more than a thousand attendees are expected again this year. The 2005 Hiroshima Day Committee invites all to come and experience the feeling of community, the music and the sight of hundreds of drifting lanterns. It offers the hope to resolve our conflicts without violence and join hands together and join hands together in friendship to walk the pathway to peace.

Seattle’s Bathhouse Theatre is located at 7312 West Green Lake Drive North.

*Names of specific performers available upon request.
More photos available upon request.

Contact: Nicole Bolton, Press Liaison
(206) 547-2630, Daytime (206) 419-8369, Day of Event Only