Seattle, Washington: Participants place paper lanterns in the lake at the From Hiroshima To Hope gathering at Green Lake Park. The ceremony is held in remembrance of atomic bomb victims on the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. The annual lantern floating ceremony honors victims of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and all victims of violence. From Hiroshima To Hope is organized by a collation of peace, religious, civil liberties and cultural heritage organizations. The ceremony is an adaptation of an ancient Japanese Buddhist ritual, the Toro Nagashi, in which lanterns representing the souls of the dead are floated out to sea and prayers are offered that the souls may rest in peace. The Toro Nagashi is reenacted each year at this time in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and in many cities around the world.
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