AUKE BAY - In accordance with the Hiroshima Peace Museum, The Marshall Island Government, Veteran’s for Peace, Alpha Phi Omega (Alpha Zeta Theta Chapter) and UAS Chancellor’s office, the University of Alaska Southeast will be holding a three day event: The Nuclear Awareness Conference. The conference is to be held Friday, April 18 from 6-10 p.m., April 19 from 12-5:30 p.m. and April 20 from 12-7 p.m..

The conference will include keynote talks by Shigeko Sasamori—a survivor of the bombing of Hiroshima, Mayor James Matayoshi—an activist on behalf of the Marshallese people in the aftermath of the nuclear testing conducted by the United States and Dr. Holly Barker—an author and senior advisor to the Marshallese government.

Numerous presentations will be conducted by Andrew Himes, founder of Voices in Wartime and the Juneau Veterans for Peace.

The conference will also feature performances by Skagway and Haines high school drama and debate teams.

Other activities include an open Poetry and Prose reading, a documentary film series and an educational workshop for teachers directed by Andy Himes.

The Nuclear Awareness Conference itself stems from a project-based educational venture conducted by Skagway High School’s Kent Fielding—an English Teacher—and two of his students: Shelby Surdyk and Erica Harris.

Through their extensive research into Marshallese culture and history, the three developed a passion about the Marshallese people and a desire to educate others about the effects of nuclear proliferation and nuclear testing.

The Nuclear Awareness Conference itself stems from a project-based educational venture conducted by Skagway High School’s Kent Fielding—an English Teacher—and two of his students: Shelby Surdyk and Erica Harris.

Through their extensive research into Marshallese culture and history, the three developed a passion about the Marshallese people and a desire to educate others about the effects of nuclear proliferation and nuclear testing.

After traveling and performing in the Marshall Islands, Fielding and his students capitalized on an opportunity given by the Hiroshima Peace Museum to host Shigeko Sasamouri to speak about her experiences following the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.

Given the subject matter, Fielding and his high school students sought to bring a speaker from the Marshall Islands, which sparked the interest of both Mayor James Matayoshi and Dr. Holly Barker, who will be speaking at the conference.

Other speakers and presenters throughout the conference have been brought together by a mutual interest concerning nuclear technology and wartime.

The conference will be held at the University of Alaska Southeast’s Egan building.

Further questions and comments should be directed towards the events organizing sponsor, the UAS Alpha Phi Omega (Alpha Zeta Theta Chapter) at apo@uas.alaska.edu^.