Last week marked the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. Conservationist and UN Messenger of Peace Jane Goodall reflected on the event that effectively ended World War II, and the lasting effects it has had on society today.
“It is desperately important that we remember our human crimes during this, the 70th anniversary of these bombings,” she wrote. "That we reflect with sadness, and feel shame for the suffering that was inflicted on hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians. That we make a vow to do anything we can to prevent such a horror from ever happening again, and that we educate the young so that they understand why this is so important.
“We should think also of those who were injured, exposed to radiation, affected by cancers as a result of all the tests that were carried out to develop these weapons, especially those tests that took place on the Marshall Islands.
Let us be joined, in our prayers and thoughts, as we urge the leaders of all nations to pledge that they will never, in any circumstance, authorise the deployment of nuclear bombs."
To read Jane Goodall’s full post, visit JaneGoodall.org.
