Regarding the 2020 Peace Memorial Ceremony (as of 6/5)

In light of the fact that the Peace Memorial Ceremony has never once been cancelled since the Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims was built in Peace Memorial Park in 1952, and that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the bombing, we have decided to proceed with holding this year’s ceremony as detailed below while implementing strict COVID-19 infection prevention measures.

Ceremony Details

Scale

• To maintain social distance, chairs will be spaced 2 meters apart, which makes 880 the maximum number of seats that can be placed on the lawn of Peace Memorial Park.

Participants

• In order to allow for as many hibakusha and bereaved families as possible to attend with this year’s limited number of seats, we will NOT have general admission seats this year.
• Please see here for a list of those who are currently invited to the ceremony. We will adjust numbers of those invited at a later date.
• As for the UN Secretary General, who announced his intention to attend this year’s ceremony, we have received word that he is planning to attend in person if circumstances allow; if not, he will send a video message.
• As for the world leaders, representatives of UN agencies, and mayors of our sister cities who are invited each year, we have also requested that they send a video message instead.

Ceremony schedule

• The ceremony proceedings and timeframe will be the same as it is each year (8 am start time, ending at 8:50 am), with the exception of the releasing of doves.

Entry restrictions to Peace Memorial Park

• Every year, crowds gather in close proximity around Peace Memorial Park to watch the ceremony; however, this year, to ensure the safety of everyone, we will have temporary entry restrictions in place at Peace Memorial Park for a set period of time before, during, and after the ceremony.

Other Information

• Please also be aware that should there be a change in the circumstances regarding COVID-19, we will reconsider our participants accordingly.

Inquiries regarding this page

General Affairs Section, Citizens Activities Promotion Division, Citizens Affairs Bureau
1-6-34 Kokutaiji-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
Tel: 082-504-2103 // Fax: 082-504-2066
Email: katsudo@city.hiroshima.lg.jp