NPS The International Friendship Bell symbolizes peace and reconciliation between the United States and Japan. At nearly seven feet tall and five feet wide, this 8,300-pound bronze bell hangs at A. K. Bissell Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where the uranium for the world’s first atomic weapons was manufactured. Designed in Oak Ridge and cast in Kyoto, Japan, the relief panels on the bell show peaceful imagery inspired by Tennessee, Japan, and the tragedies of war between the two nations. About This BlogSeventy-five years ago, on August 6, 1945, the B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb used in war on Hiroshima, Japan. In commemoration of this event, Manhattan Project National Historical Park will offer programming to allow members of the public to reflect on the impacts of the bombing. On August 6, 2020, the park will host a somber, hour-long event at sunrise (6:48 am ET) at A. K. Bissell Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. We invite the public to ring the International Friendship Bell and record their reason for ringing the bell. Social distancing and protective measures will be observed at the event. For those unable to attend the program in person, we have created this page to allow for virtual participation. Between August 6 and August 9, you can virtually ring the bell and share your reason for doing so. Click HERE to Ring the International Friendship Bell
August 10, 2020
THANK YOU to all who contributed their comments on this post. Please visit the Lights for Peace page to continue the 75th Commemoration Event. |
Last updated: July 22, 2021