Hope
Briana Suber
Hiroshima
On August 6th of 1945, America dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Then, a few days later, another was dropped on the the city of Nagasaki. Following the bombing, Japan surrendered ending WWII. However, this win came with a terrible price. The two cities were destroyed and an estimate of around 200,000 people, mostly consisting of civilians, were killed.
Story of the Peace Cranes
Sedako Susaki was only two when the bombing in Hiroshima occured. Even though she survived and seemed to be happy and healthy, at the age of ten she was diagnosed with Leukemia, or "the atom bomb disease" as the people of Japan called it. While in the hospital, she was told an old Japanese legend that claimed anyone who folded one thousand paper cranes would be granted a wish. As she wished to get better and for world peace, she finished over a thousand paper cranes before dying on October 25, 1955. Through this story, the origami crane has become an international symbol for peace.
1,000 Cranes of Hope
An ancient Japanese tradition promises that a person who folds one thousand cranes will be granted a wish. A lot of the time, a family or group of people join to do this together to do this. 1000 Cranes of Hope holds the collective wishes of everyone committing to stand in the fight against cancer.
The city of Hiroshima following the bombing.
An origami crane symbolizing hope.
Sedako Susaki