Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. News, and Other Relevant Links
3. Related Organizations and Resources
4. Featured Resolutions

Minneapolis’ citizens and government have been committed to promoting peace through activism and city diplomacy.

Minneapolis, the larger of Minnesota’s Twin Cities, has a long history of activism and participation in anti-nuclear movements. Anti-nuclear activism erupted there during the Cold War. Following construction of two nuclear power plants — Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant and Prairie Island Nuclear Plant in 1967 and 1968, respectively — protests against the reactors began due to the public’s concerns about their environmental and social impact. The Prairie Island Nuclear Plant is situated adjacent to the Prairie Island Indian Community, a reservation of the Dakota Oyate people, which prompted concern over the disproportionate negative impacts the nuclear industry would have on indigenous peoples. From 1968 until around 1990, the Honeywell Project, a Minneapolis-based peace group opposing the Honeywell cluster bomb manufacturer, was instrumental in anti-nuclear and anti-war activism, organizing peaceful protests and demonstrations against nuclear weapons for more than two decades. Among their four key demands was a call for “no components for nuclear weapons.” During the 1970s and 1980s, the Northern Sun Alliance, a coalition of anti-nuclear groups, worked with the slogan “Safe Energy – No Nukes.” Focusing on building awareness on nuclear issues, the Minneapolis-based collective primarily protested against the construction and use of nuclear plants, citing environmental and safety concerns. Additional national alliances, for example, the Nuclear Freeze Campaign and Women Strike For Peace, had active initiatives in Minneapolis as well. Since 1981, the Minneapolis-based peace nonprofit Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) has worked in opposition to U.S. involvement in war and systems of harm. WAMM has been pivotal in organizing anti-nuclear protests, film screenings, rallies, and other creative events to educate the public about militarism and promote peace. 

Minneapolis and Hiroshima have a friendship city connection, maintained by Minneapolis-Hiroshima Friendship Cities, Inc., and established by Marj Wunder to participate in Hiroshima’s anti-nuclear and pro-peace activism. A friendship city relationship is less formal than a sister city one, but still serves to promote a meaningful bond between the cities. This relationship helps support the Lyndale Park Peace Garden in Minneapolis, constructed to honor peace between the U.S. and Japan. A main feature of the park is the Peace Garden Bridge, originally built in 1985 and rebuilt in 2009 by artist Kinji Akagawa and architect Jerry Allan. The bridge incorporates granite from Minneapolis, along with a peace stone from Hiroshima, gifted to peace activist Marj Wunder by the director of the Peace Memorial Museum during her second visit. This stone originates from an area near the hypocenter of the 1945 bombing. Additionally, the bridge includes a stone from Nagasaki, received later. Reflecting Japanese tradition, the bridge is constructed in a manner to prevent evil spirits from following people around the park. The garden often hosts events commemorating the bombing of Hiroshima, including tea ceremonies and readings.

Minneapolis’ citizens and government’s commitment to promoting peace has been critical to Minneapolis taking legislative action to formally call for nuclear disarmament. On Dec. 10, 2021, the Minneapolis City Council passed Resolution 2021R-40, endorsing the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and urging the United States to adopt the treaty and actively work toward nuclear war prevention. The resolution, introduced by council member Cam Gordon, was influenced by organizations such as Back From the Brink, Veterans for Peace, Women Against Military Madness, the Anti-War Committee, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and Physicians for Social Responsibility. The resolution explicitly expresses support for the Back From the Brink movement. This resolution comes after Minneapolis’ long-standing dedication to city activism.