Floating Lantern Peace Ceremony 2020
Every year we come together and stand in unity for peace and hope for a better world. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is also the time of the global crisis of COVID-19. Now, more than ever, it is important to come together to remember those who were lost and celebrate those who help us move forward. Let’s stand together for hope, for humanity, now and for the future.
Even though we cannot be together this year in person, we hope that you will join us in August 8th when we will feature the beauty and serenity of with a message of hope.
Calgary Floating Lanterns is sponsored by Ploughshares Calgary Society in partnership with the United Nations Association – Calgary Branch and the Calgary Interfaith Council.
What is the Calgary Floating Lantern Peace Ceremony?
This year’s Floating Lantern Peace Ceremony is the 8th annual family, multi-cultural, multi-faith event in Calgary to commemorate the lives lost in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; to make a renewed commitment to the abolition of nuclear weapons; and to recognize the Mayors for Peace initiative. In 1948, the survivors and citizens of Hiroshima floated lanterns on Hiroshima’s rivers to mark the anniversary of the bombings.
The floating lantern ceremony is now an annual event in Hiroshima, drawing tens of thousands to float lanterns on Motoyasu River in memory of the victims of the atomic bombings and in hopes of peace and nuclear disarmament; similar events take place in other cities around the world.
What is “Floating Lanterns ( Tōrō Nagashi )”?
Symbolically, releasing floating lanterns is a traditional Japanese ceremony called "Tōrō nagashi," with the lanterns representing the departed spirits of lives lost. People in Japan offer their prayers for bliss to the departed. This also became a ceremony to pray for people’s safety, prosperity, and happiness. Calgary Floating Lantern Peace Ceremony looks with hope towards a world of peace that is free from violence and nuclear weapons.
This peace ceremony is held in conjunction with groups who are holding events in many of the 7,744 cities in 163 regions/countries worldwide who have joined Mayors for Peace, a group of mayors including Mayor Nenshi, who are calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons.
How to View and/or Support This Peace Ceremony?
We will broadcast the live stream of launching lanterns on our website from 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm (MT) on August 8th (in case of rain, August 9th) Please enjoy the beauty and serenity of our floating lanterns! This is totally free of charge!
At the same time, we would like to ask your support to help us keep this peace ceremony continuing forward in future years.
Your $10 donation will help us launch one lantern. If your donation is $20 or more, we will make two custom-made lanterns for you with your own message together with your name (optional) and the name you would like to offer (optional). We will email you and you will let us know what you want on your lantern shades.
If you wish to purchase the lantern, you can! With your $30 donation, we will send you a package of a lantern (a base, four sticks, a shade, and a tea light).
Your support is greatly appreciated!