Setting an example for nuclear disarmament together with other cities around the world: On Tuesday, July 8, the international flag day of the "Mayors for Peace", the green peace flag was hoisted at Aachen City Hall for the fifth time. It will adorn the town hall for a week and promote peace and a world without nuclear weapons.

In her welcoming address at the rally organized by the Aachen Alliance Against Nuclear Weapons, Lord Mayor Sibylle Keupen clearly acknowledged the purpose of this event: "Today, a green flag is flying at many town halls around the world. It is the most important flag that can hang on a town hall. A clear sign of the Mayors for Peace - not only in Aachen, but worldwide."

Especially in the year 2025, in a world characterized more than ever by strife, such a sign is more than necessary again, emphasized the Lord Mayor. A look at Gaza, Ukraine and many other parts of the world shows that war is part of our everyday lives. "Signs alone do not stop missiles, but they keep our hope alive, bring us together to stand up for our belief in peace. It makes it impressively clear that we must not get used to this state of war and threat."

The rally in front of the town hall in front of many interested people was characterized by clear and strong appeals to the political decision-makers to make a stronger and more reliable commitment to peace in the world and disarmament. By singing well-known peace songs loudly and in many voices, the assembled participants once again gave special expression to their appeals, wishes and hopes.

"We have to stand together, which is why I am very proud that we are now raising this flag together for the fifth time to send out a clear signal. Because cities are not targets and people are not collateral damage," Keupen made clear to the applause of those present and gave the signal to raise the flag.

Mayors for Peace

In 1982, Takeshi Araki, the mayor of Hiroshima at the time, founded the "Mayors for Peace" movement. This initiative of cities around the world is dedicated to peace work and nuclear disarmament. In a legal opinion on July 8, 1996, the International Court of Justice in The Hague declared the threat and use of nuclear weapons to be a violation of international law. To commemorate this, cities that show solidarity with the "Mayors for Peace" movement fly the flag of this initiative on this day. Aachen has been part of the alliance since 1985. It is one of over 900 cities and municipalities in Germany and more than 8,000 worldwide.

Aachen Alliance against Nuclear Weapons

The Aachen Alliance against Nuclear Weapons, consisting of the DFG-VK, VVN/BdA, IPPNW and pax christi in the diocese of Aachen, has been in existence in Aachen for five years, repeatedly pointing out the urgency of renewed disarmament negotiations between the nuclear powers and campaigning for the worldwide entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.