Organizing meeting for the 2009 ceremony, July 30, 2009. Left to right: Prof. Isao Takino, visiting from Japan; John Coveney, logistics wizard; Richard Seals, on-the-water coordinator (boats, ramp, booms, etc.); Sarah Neider, lantern decorating coordinator; Steve Freedkin, event coordinator; Céline Wallace, welcome/check-in coordinator.
Andy David, friend-since-high-school of lantern ceremony founder Steve Freedkin, came from Chicago to participate in the event. Here he is helping set up the area where assembled lanterns will be collected for launching. [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
Céline Wallace, one of the core organizers of the event, posts a series of panels illustrating the history of nuclear weapons and of peace-lantern ceremonies. The panels may be viewed online: See the Program box at http://ProgressivePortal.org/lanterns/previous-years.html [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
Sarah Neider (left), another core organizer of the event, assembles lanterns along with Andy David and another volunteer. [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
A man and a young girl who arrived early fold origami cranes, a symbol of peace and health in Japan. It is said that anyone who folks 1,000 cranes will be granted a wish. Sadako Sasaki, a young girl in Hiroshima at the time of the bombing, tried to fold 1,000 cranes before succumbing to leukemia that may have resulted from radiation from the atomic bomb. Thus was born a tradition of folding cranes for peace. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadako_Sasaki [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
Céline Wallace staffs the welcome table as folks arrive to decorate lantern shades and participate in the ceremony. [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
Céline Wallace at the welcome table, wearing a yukata provided by a Japanese college professor visiting the Bay Area. [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
Decorating lantern shades. Seated at far left (beard, glasses, black attire) is Jeff Akeley, who has helped with publicity and other support for the lantern ceremony over the past several years. [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
More people decorate lantern shades. Standing at left is Sarah Neider, who coordinated the lantern-decorating portion of the event. [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
Decorating lantern shades. [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
Young and old decorate peace-lantern shades. [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
Final lantern assembly. Carol David, Jeff Akeley, and Steve Freedkin at the assembly area. [Photo by Isao Takino]
Mariah Parker (on santur) and Matthew Montfort (on guitar) of the band Ancient Future perform at the Peace Lantern Ceremony. Learn about Ancient Future at: http://ancient-future.com/ [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
Listening to Mariah Parker and Matthew Montfort performing at the Peace Lantern Ceremony. [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
Stephen Ross (EarthTone Music) plays the shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) at the Peace Lantern Ceremony. Learn about EarthTone Music: http://www.myspace.com/earthtonemusic1 [Photo by Steve Freedkin]
Stephen Ross on shakuhachi. [Photo by Isao Takino]
Steve Freedkin, founder of the Bay Area Peace Lantern Ceremony, speaks at the event. [Photo by Isao Takino]
Candle-lit lanterns launched onto the water at Berkeley's Aquatic Park. [Photo by Michael Warwick, http://www.naturalvisions.com/]
Lanterns make their way to the far side of the Aquatic Park Lagoon. [Photo by Michael Warwick, http://www.naturalvisions.com/]
Lanterns in the water. [Photo by Michael Warwick, http://www.naturalvisions.com/]
Lanterns reach the eastern shore of Aquatic Park Lagoon, opposite the ceremony location on the western shore. [Photo by Michael Warwick, http://www.naturalvisions.com/]
