Newcastle’s long-held commitment to making the city a nuclear-free zone was reaffirmed on Friday with the City of Newcastle (CoN) raising the Hunter Peace Group and International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) flags in Civic Park.
The flag-raising was held to commemorate Hiroshima Day, with 2021 marking the 76th anniversary of the devastating bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by US forces in World War II.
It follows a Lord Mayoral Minute supported by City of Newcastle councillors in June, acknowledging the CoN’s long-standing history with local, national and international peace movements.
That relationship dates back to June 29, 1982, when the City first declared Newcastle a Nuclear Free Zone under Lord Mayor Joy Cummings, and resolving to establish with Hunter Peace Group a dedicated Newcastle Peace Park at Tighes Hill Reserve, adjacent to Islington Park.
“Former Newcastle Lord Mayor Joy Cummings was a passionate advocate for the peace movement, inspiring strong community support and joining with Hunter Peace Group, trade unionists and activists to hold demonstrations on the importance of nuclear disarmament and protecting Newcastle as a Nuclear Free City and port.
“I am honoured to uphold that mission today on behalf of the City, in which there is no place for nuclear weapons in modern society,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
Hunter Peace Group Secretary Lynda Forbes said the group was pleased to continue this important work with the City of Newcastle.
“While ever there is nuclear testing being conducted across the globe, Hunter Peace Group believes it is important to continue to commemorate the anniversaries of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to draw public attention to the threat that nuclear weapons pose to communities throughout the world,” Lynda said.
“Despite CoN supporting the United Nations’ Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2019, and advocating to the Federal Government in 2020, Australia is yet to sign and ratify the treaty, which came into force in January this year.”
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