Bristol children make paper cranes in memory of Hiroshima

Jul 31, 2023

Children have made origami cranes to mark the 78th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

Over the past two years, Bristol children in playgroups have made 1,000 origami cranes.

They have been hung in John Wesley's New Room, to honour Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who died at the age of 12 from after-effects of the bomb.

"It resembles peace and they look so beautiful. I love making them," said Alice, one of the young crane-makers.

"I can get my mind off things that are happening around me and focus on one thing. It's really calming," said Alice.

"Now, Japan is somewhere that's really peaceful and I just like [thinking about] it," she added.

The passion project began in 2019 for Sarah Holway from Bristol Association for Neighbourhood Daycare.

She was inspired after she visited Hiroshima and saw that children from all over the world would send origami cranes there to remember Sadako Sasaki.

"So many playgroups wanted to join us in our vision, it was amazing." said Ms Holway.

"Sasaki's wish was for a compassionate heart to make her 1,000 cranes, which has turned into a symbol of peace.

"That vision has captured everyone's imagination."

The tribute marks 78 years since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and with it, the loss of thousands of lives.

At the end of the year, the cranes from Bristol will be sent to Japan, where they will go on public display in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.

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