Mapping Nuclear Legacies

MAPPING NUCLEAR LEGACIES Symposium

co-sponsored by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, East Asia Research Forum, and CNAIR

This two day symposium will explore nuclear disarmament, peace-promoting practices, the unique roles that cities are engaging with nuclear weapons, and nuclear justice efforts. Join us for a lecture by Mayor Shiro Suzuki of Nagasaki on May 1, followed by two high-profile guest panels on May 2 discussing the role of cities in nuclear policy and security, as well as intergenerational nuclear justice.

May 1, 2025

5pm-7pm

Lecture by Mayor Shiro Suzuki of Nagasaki

  • opening remarks by Acting Consul-General Naoya Kishi, Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago and Hiro Miyazaki, Northwestern University
  • introduction by Mayor Daniel Biss of Evanston
  • response from Jacqueline Cabasso, Mayors for Peace
  • response from Denise Duffield, Back from the Brink
  • response from Cultural Specialist Trina Sherwood of Yakama Nation Resource Restoration/Waste Management

This August marks the 80th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, events that underscore the need for continued efforts toward peace. Mayor Shiro Suzuki of Nagasaki is a leader on this front, advocating for nuclear disarmament and the promotion of global peace. This lecture will explore moving away from the culture of distrust between citizens and local governments, and towards the culture of peace—where peace is put into practice and integrated in daily life. This discussion will recognize the delicate balance between advocating specifically for the elimination of nuclear weapons and the broader pursuit of peace. It will also highlight the sister-city relationship between Saint Paul, MN and Nagasaki, along with their subsequent peace-promoting practices.

Register Here

May 2, 2025

10am-2pm

Nuclear policy and security: the role of cities

Guest Panel:

The risk of nuclear war is higher than ever, driven by the war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East, expansion of nuclear development, and advancements in AI. Nuclear weapons are an international security concern. But federal governments aren’t the only ones driving the movement towards nuclear disarmament. Nuclear weapons have directly impacted civilians, and cities, communities, towns and states have been uniquely shaped by legacies of nuclear testing, development, research, and policy. In response to these “nuclear legacies,” local governments and communities are finding ways to participate in nuclear disarmament discussions, shifting them from hypothetical to actual. As a result, cities have developed diverse and intersectional approaches to achieving nuclear disarmament—approaches that are crucial to inspiring and influencing further action. This panel will discuss how localities are engaging with and responding to nuclear legacies.

Register Here

Intergenerational Nuclear Justice

Guest Panel:

  • Executive Director Benetick Maddison of Marshallese Educational Initiative
  • Cultural Specialist Trina Sherwood of Yakama Nation Resource Restoration/Waste Management
  • Nagasaki Peace Correspondent Kathleen Sullivan
  • former Mayor Tomihisa Taue of Nagasaki
  • Yuki Miyamoto, DePaul University
  • Megan Baker, Northwestern University

The development of nuclear weapons is an intersectional issue with real environmental, public health, social justice, and economic consequences. The legacy of nuclear development, testing, and use presents unique social justice concerns, as it has disproportionately affected marginalized communities,  causing  extreme and often unrecognized harms to Marshall Islanders and Native communities.  This panel will discuss local efforts, concerns, and experiences to elevate nuclear justice efforts focused on recognizing, remembering, and repairing past and ongoing harms from nuclear weapons development.

Register Here

Symposium will be live streamed here.

Location: Pancoe Abbott Auditorium, 2200 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208

Symposium is funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Northwestern University