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WHEREAS, August 6 and 9, 2018 mark the 73rd anniversaries of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where over 210,000 people were killed and countless others were exposed to radiation, and 2018 marks the 7th anniversary of the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant; and
WHEREAS, the world's nuclear arsenals include approximately 15,000 warheads, over 90% held by the United States and Russia, which currently have the explosive power of approximately 200,000 Hiroshima bombs and are capable of destroying all cities in the world the size of Pittsburgh or larger; and
WHEREAS, the United States is engaged in programs to modernize its nuclear bombs, warheads and delivery systems, and Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, India, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea are also all engaged in nuclear weapons modernization and/or development programs; and
WHEREAS, the risk of both intentional and accidental launch of nuclear weapons is increasing as a result of widespread stockpiles of poorly secured nuclear materials most of which are on trigger alert, the escalation of terrorism, expanded proliferation, and escalating political tensions including unprecedented threats regarding use of nuclear weapons and decreasing standards for such use; and
WHEREAS, without participation by the United States, on July 7, 2017, 122 of the world’s countries adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), a historic treaty to prohibit the possession, development, testing, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons; and
WHEREAS, in June, 2018 the U.S. Conference of Mayors unanimously passed a strong resolution welcoming the diplomatic opening with North Korea; urging President Trump to pursue normalized relations with Iran; and calling on the United States to “lead a global effort to prevent nuclear war by renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first; ending the sole, unchecked authority of any president to launch a nuclear attack; taking U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert; cancelling the plan to replace its entire arsenal with enhanced weapons; and actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals”; and
WHEREAS, Remembering Hiroshima, Imagining Peace (RHIP) has brought together an impressive coalition of Pittsburgh organizations, institutions and individuals to work toward the elimination of nuclear weapons and to raise awareness of the problems related to nuclear power through education, activism, and art and is partnering with the Office of the Mayor and Pittsburgh Cultural Trust to present 50 Cities 50 Traces as part of the Festival of Firsts; RHIP will screen three films and it will host its annual Bike Around the Bomb 13-mile bicycle ride (see RememberingHiroshima.org for details); and
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh recognizes the need to reduce spending on nuclear weapons to the minimum necessary to assure the safety and security of the existing weapons as they await disabling and dismantling and to redirect those funds to meet the urgent needs of cities; calls for compliance with Article VI of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and prompt, good faith negotiations for the elimination of nuclear weapons; and also does hereby recognize and commend the important work of Remembering Hiroshima, Imagining Peace and their advocacy for the reduction of stockpiles and safer handling procedures worldwide as steps toward a world free of nuclear weapons and for raising awareness of the value of renewable energy and the perils associated with using nuclear power as an interim technology; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare Tuesday, July 31st 2018 to be “Remembering Hiroshima, Imagining Peace” Day in the City of Pittsburgh.