CITIES APPEAL:
Yarra Ranges, VIC
The ICAN Cities Appeal was endorsed by the Yarra Ranges Council on 18 December, 2018.
MOTION
The Yarra Ranges Youth Reference Group is advocating to the Federal Government to ensure Australia signs the United Nations nuclear weapon ban treaty to keep communities and the environment safe around the world.
Council endorsed the ICAN Cities Appeal, a campaign led by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) at its 18 December Council meeting, asking the Federal Government to ‘sign and ratify the ban treaty without delay’.
Youth Reference Group member Carly from Mooroolbark said the group met regularly to discuss a range of social and cultural issues.
‘We have been discussing the threat that nuclear weapons pose, how disappointing it is that Australia hasn’t signed it, and the role that everyone can play to bring this attention of the Federal Government,’ Carly said.
‘We want the Prime Minister to take action and sign the United Nations nuclear weapon ban treaty.
FURTHER ACTION
2025: Yarra Ranges commemorates 80th anniversaries of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
On Monday July 22nd 2025 Yarra Ranges Shire (VIC) passed a commemorative motion which acknowedged the 80th anniversaries of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Councillor Pete Mcilwain moved that:
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Council:
1. Acknowledges the historical and moral significance of these events.
2. Supports the tradition of commemorating this anniversary as a moment to reflect on and assert the fundamental importance of peace between all people, everywhere.
Carried
To further commemorate thse sombre anniversaries, councillors, council staff and local community members together folded 1000 paper cranes in memory of the victims and survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These paper cranes will be displayed in concils Lilydale offices throughout August 2025. The accompanying text for the installation reads:
Over the weeks leading up to the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings, councillors, staff and people in the community have worked together to make 1000 origami peace cranes which you see displayed here.
Folding 1000 paper cranes is an act that has become part of the anniversary and is a way to mark the significance of the event and to also demonstrate a commitment to peace, personally, locally and globally. Their significance comes from the story of Sadako Sasaki a young girl who while dying from “A-bomb disease” folded paper cranes in response to the legend that if you fold 1000 you can have a wish granted.
After she died her friends and classmates continued folding the peace cranes and it caught on around the world.
From time to time people in the Yarra Ranges have folded peace cranes including a project organised by Judy Wolff in 2003. Judy has kindly included some of those cranes into this current collection.
