Time required: 15 minutes
The mayors of more than 4700 cities in 150 countries have joined the Mayors for Peace network calling for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons by 2020. When membership reaches the 5000 mark, the mayors will speak on behalf of over one billion people.
With your help, that goal could be reached by 6 August 2011, the 66th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Is your city or town affiliated with Mayors for Peace? If not, urge your mayor to join. If your city or town is already affiliated, ask your mayor to write to another mayor about joining.
Sample letters
If your mayor is not part of Mayors for Peace:
Dear Mayor,
I am writing as a resident concerned about the threat posed by nuclear weapons. There are still roughly 20,000 of these immoral, illegal and inhuman devices in the world, with cities and towns among the intended targets. Most governments have acknowledged the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons, and yet there is still no comprehensive treaty to prohibit them and provide for their elimination.
To counter this constant danger, mayors have joined together in Mayors for Peace. As a mayor, you have the responsibility to protect residents of this district. The horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki must never be repeated – anywhere. I encourage you to join the Mayors for Peace network of over 4700 mayors in 150 nations calling for a treaty to abolish nuclear weapons. The network's website is: www.mayorsforpeace.org.
Yours sincerely,
If your mayor is already part of Mayors for Peace:
Dear Mayor,
I am proud that our city is affiliated with Mayors for Peace. As you may know, membership of the network is rapidly approaching 5000 cities, at which point Mayors for Peace would represent over one billion people worldwide. Efforts are under way to reach this target by 6 August 2011, the 66th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
I am writing to encourage you to take a few minutes in the coming days to call or email a colleague of yours, and ask him or her to join you as a member of Mayors for Peace. All you need to do is direct the mayor to the website www.mayorsforpeace.org.
Thank you,
