Coventry and London Mark Hiroshima Anniversary

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Britain marked the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Wednesday, with commemorations held in Coventry and London to honour the victims of the 1945 attack and those who died in Nagasaki days later.

Around 300 people attended a memorial service at Coventry Cathedral in the West Midlands, a location chosen not only for its symbolic link to wartime devastation but for its longstanding commitment to peace. The service, first held in 1987, has become a fixture in the city’s calendar.

Participants folded origami paper cranes widely recognised as a Japanese symbol of peace as a gesture of remembrance. Coventry Cathedral, bombed during a Nazi air raid in 1940, continues to serve as a visible reminder of the toll of global conflict. Its partially preserved ruins stand next to the rebuilt cathedral, offering a poignant backdrop to the occasion.

Lisa Hagan, a secondary school teacher who attended the service with her students, said it was an important moment of reflection. “Young people need to understand the value of life and the lessons history provides,” she told local reporters.

Letters exchanged between the mayors of Hiroshima and Coventry were read aloud during the service. Both leaders expressed concern over the current state of international affairs and emphasised the importance of continuing to call for peace in a time of growing global uncertainty.

In central London, a 10-minute short film titled I Saw The World End was projected onto Europe’s largest LED screen at Piccadilly. The film, originally commissioned by the Imperial War Museum and created by UK-based artists Es Devlin and Machiko Weston, combined survivor testimonies with quotes from individuals involved in the development of the bomb.

Set to ambient visuals and a minimalist soundtrack, the piece concluded with footage of the Hiroshima explosion fading into a blue sky. London resident Paddy Kelly, who viewed the screening, described it as “very powerful” and noted the contrast between the busy location and the tragic events being remembered.

In a brief interview following the event, artist Es Devlin said the work aimed to honour survivors and provoke thought about conflict. “There are more nuclear weapons now than there were five years ago. Nothing has improved, but as artists, all we can do is offer alternatives to consider,” she said.

The commemorations take place amid growing concerns about global stability. While Britain continues to engage in international discussions on disarmament, many remain wary of growing threats worldwide and the challenges of maintaining national security in a volatile climate.