Mayor Eduardo Martinez
City of Richmond
August 19, 2025
Welcoming the Visit of the
Golden Rule Peace Boat
City of Richmond, CA
WHEREAS, in February 1958, four Quaker activists courageously sailed the Golden Rule from California toward the Marshall Islands in a direct, nonviolent effort to halt nuclear bomb testing in the Pacific. Their arrest sparked global protests and contributed to President John F. Kennedy’s signing of the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963; and
WHEREAS, following its sinking during a storm in Humboldt Bay in 2010, the Golden Rule was salvaged and lovingly restored through the efforts of veterans, Quakers, and boat enthusiasts. It was relaunched in 2015 as a national initiative of Veterans for Peace; and
WHEREAS, despite decades of disarmament efforts, approximately 12,000 nuclear warheads remain, predominantly under the control of the United States and Russia. The United States has suspended compliance with key arms control agreements such as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and plans to invest nearly $2 trillion to modernize its nuclear arsenal; and
WHEREAS, the Golden Rule Peace Boat continues to champion nuclear disarmament while shining a light on the deep interconnections between militarism, environmental degradation, and social injustice; and
WHEREAS, the Golden Rule will dock in Richmond, California, from August 19 to August 22, 2025, as part of its mission to promote the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, raise awareness about the environmental and human toll of nuclear and military operations, and support global efforts to prevent nuclear conflict; and
WHEREAS, the City of Richmond joined the international campaign for nuclear abolition by becoming a member of Mayors for Peace in October 2007; and
WHEREAS, Richmond has consistently advocated for peace and called for an end to war, nuclear proliferation, and violence in all its forms;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Eduardo Martinez, Mayor of the City of Richmond, on behalf of the Richmond City Council, do hereby welcome the Golden Rule Peace Boat to the City of Richmond and extend our deepest respect and warmest wishes for a successful and impactful journey.