Four survivors of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945 will share their personal experiences at Grinnell College from Sept. 18-21.
Titled "Give Back Peace! Hiroshima 61 Years Later," the event will include presentations by the Survivors and two panel discussions featuring Grinnell faculty. Also included will be talks at the Grinnell elementary and middle schools, and a discussion for Grinnell area high school students on Sept. 20.
"August 6, 2006 is the 61st anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, but the nuclear threat still looms large today. Even though more than 60 years have passed, the remaining survivors are tireless in advocating disarmament and peace through telling what they witnessed." said Marnie K. Jorenby, assistant professor of Japanese at Grinnell College. "The event at the College will give students, faculty, and members of our community a tremendous insight into the era and how the world was, and still is, affected by the decision to drop the bomb."
The events are free and open to the general public and will start on Monday, September 18 with a panel discussion featuring Ed Gilday, chair of the department of religious studies and Chris Gertis, assistant professor of history, Creighton University. On Tuesday, Sept. 19, there will be a talk by the Survivors at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Grinnell.
On Thursday, Sept. 21, a panel discussion including the survivors will be held at 4:15 p.m. in the Alumni Recital Hall (ARH) room 302, to be followed by the screening of the film "No More Hiroshima!" at 8 p.m.
A special discussion for Grinnell middle school students will start at 10 a.m. on Sept. 20, with another forum to follow for area high school students from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Harris Center.
The event is sponsored by the Lilly Foundation, an Earlham College Japan Study Grant, the Grinnell College Peace Studies Program, the Grinnell College East Asian Studies Concentration, the Grinnell College Center for International Studies, the Freeman Foundation, The Rosenfield Program in Public Affairs, International Relations, and Human Rights, and the Department of Chinese and Japanese.
