Japanese Canadians to Rally Around Setsuko Thurlow at Toronto City Hall (Wed. Aug. 6)

July 24, 2025 #setsukothurlow #hiroshima #toronto #peace #rally ,

All eyes turn to the Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition’s commemoration on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at Toronto City Hall’s Peace Garden. Now 93, Setsuko Thurlow has faced health challenges—powerful reminders of how precious and urgent each opportunity to stand with her truly is. This year’s event marks not only the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings, but the rare chance to hear from Setsuko in person. Were she able to travel, she would have been welcomed as an honoured guest in Hiroshima. With family-friendly programming, musical performances, and a moving lantern ceremony, the day will honour the past while strengthening a growing network of peacebuilders across generations.

Event Schedule: Download event poster for full details

4:00 – 6:30 p.m.   Community & Craft Tables – Drop by the Toronto NAJC table to say hello. 
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.   80th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony with Setusko Thurlow CM
8:00 p.m.              Lantern Ceremony (Make your lantern with the help of the Toronto Buddhist Church)

Commemorative Stickers – Reserve Yours Now!

Reply to this email to pre-order your commemorative sticker for August 6. Quantities are limited!

  • Price: $5 (cash) or $6.50 (credit card)
  • Donation: $3 from each sticker will go to the Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition (HNDC)
  • Pick-up: Pre-orders will be held at our community table until 6:00 p.m. on August 6
  • Availability: A small number of extra stickers may be available for purchase at the event.

Complementing the commemorations and screenings, the Japan Foundation, Toronto is exhibiting the complete Hiroshima Appeals poster series—28 striking works by leading Japanese designers created annually since 1983 to promote peace and remembrance. The exhibit runs until December 20, 2025. Setsuko’s story, once known mostly in activist circles, has become a touchstone of intergenerational connection and community action. At 93, her voice remains as urgent and inspiring as ever. For Japanese Canadians and all who care about peace, justice, and memory, this is a moment not to miss.

Momentum Continues Nationwide

Across the country, communities are mobilizing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings through screenings, exhibitions, and peace-focused events. The link below features a growing list of initiatives, many of which are led or co-organized by Japanese Canadian organizations—such as those taking place in Victoria.
HNDC list of national events: https://simpli.events/e/hiroshima-nagasaki-80-years

In Victoria, the Human Rights Committee of the Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society is co-sponsoring The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Poster Exhibition: 80 Years After the Atomic Bombings in Japan, running July 29 to August 15 at the Central Branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library. A family-friendly event on August 2 will feature opening remarks by Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto and Colwood Mayor Doug Kobayashi, who will share his mother’s experience as a Hiroshima survivor. Free Registration

The Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society is also hosting a screening of The Vow From Hiroshima on August 9 (Nagasaki Day) at SKAM Theatre, free to its members.  Contact email: mogasawara@uvic.ca

View the full list of national events: https://simpli.events/e/hiroshima-nagasaki-80-years Setsuko’s story has become  a touchstone for intergenerational connection and peacebuilding. Her voice remains as urgent and inspiring as ever. This is a rare moment for Japanese Canadians—and all people who care about justice and memory—to come together.

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at Toronto City Hall.

The Toronto NAJC Board of Directors 


Learn More About How Japanese Canadians Are Celebrating

Setsuko Thurlow’s Legacy

A Voice the World Heard—Now Echoing at Home
In the lead-up to this historic milestone, Japanese Canadian communities have come together to honour Setsuko Thurlow, C.M.—a living witness to the horrors of Hiroshima and a lifelong advocate for nuclear disarmament. For decades, her message reached audiences worldwide, yet her remarkable contributions were less known within Canada. While she received an honorary doctorate from the University of Toronto in 2019, her activist legacy remained largely unrecognized, even among Japanese Canadians. That is now changing.

The Vow From Hiroshima Sparks National Engagement Since the release of The Vow From Hiroshima in 2020, directed by Susan Strickler and Mitchie Takeuchi, support for Setsuko has grown across Canada. Despite launching during the pandemic, the film reached wide audiences through virtual screenings. In 2022, the Toronto NAJC and NAJC Human Rights Committee hosted a national screening for International Women’s Week, featuring a Q&A with Setsuko and a drop-in by the director. That same spring, she spoke at Toronto Metropolitan University for Asian Heritage Month.

National Recognition and Community Momentum Toronto NAJC built on this momentum by leading a successful campaign to nominate Setsuko for the 2024 NAJC Dr. Gordon Hirabayashi Human Rights Award. The effort brought together Japanese Social Services, the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, the Hiroshima Prefectural Association, University of Toronto, Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition, and the Ontario Hiroshima Kenjinkai. Setsuko was named the 2024 recipient, with the award announced at the NAJC Conference in Edmonton.

Recent Screenings Draw Large Audiences This summer, interest continues to grow. On June 24, the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre hosted the first in-person Canadian screening of the director’s cut, followed by a Q&A with Setsuko, and the directors with Mary Ito. In early July, more than 300 people attended a Hamilton screening co-organized by the NAJC and local partners, alongside a simultaneous virtual screening in Vancouver. Additional events are planned in Edmonton, Saskatoon, Vancouver, and Victoria.

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