Light in the darkness – Bradford Celebrates the Nuclear ban

On Friday 23 April Bradford CND organised ‘Light in the Darkness’, a socially distanced, candle-lit lakeside walk in Lister Park with musical accompaniment from Bradford’s own Peace Artistes Street Band. The event was a celebration: nuclear weapons are now illegal under international law!

What made the event so memorable was Bradford’s creative peace community coming together, finally getting a chance to see each other (outside of the Zoom window) and hearing some live music!!! Here’s hoping that 2021 brings many more opportunities to dance to the mighty Peace Artistes.

Short film – by Jamie and Stephen Garnett

The event was originally scheduled for the 22nd of January (when the UN ban treaty came into effect), it was postponed due to covid concern but we couldn’t let such positive news pass without celebration. One thousand tea lights were placed all around the lake in Lister Park, culminating in a culminating in a giant illuminated peace symbol on the bank below Cartwright Hall.

Photo gallery – for more see Neil Terry photography

While the event was one of celebration, the darkness remains, underlined by Boris Johnson’s recent decision to abandon decades of gradual nuclear disarmament and increase Britain’s stockpile of weapons of mass destruction by over 40 per cent. After all we’ve been through this last year, to hear the Government say ‘we can’t afford to give the nurses more than a one per cent pay-rise’ while wasting countless billions on starting a new nuclear arms race is frankly insulting.

Opposition is growing and not only in Parliament, cities around the country are pledging their support for the UN nuclear ban and calling on the Government to join negotiations. Leeds and Lancaster Councils have added their names to the growing list of supportive cities and we’re hopeful that Bradford Council will be the next to take the leap. We’ve had 13 Bradford councillors, from three different political parties sign-up to help us make it happen and are keen to welcome more.

The event was covered in the Telegraph & Argus.