Archive for November 2024
Hibaku Jumoku in Costa Rica
Seeds of Hibaku Jumoku (A-bomb survivor trees) sent from Hiroshima have sprouted in Costa Rica!
Dr. Gerardo Abalos of the University of Costa Rica, who has nurtured the seeds and watched them grow, will speak about the project. There will also be a video message from Green Legacy Hiroshima.
The webinar will be held connecting Hiroshima and Costa Rica.
Date & Time:
December 9th, Saturday １０：００〜１１：００ (Japan Time)
December 8th, Friday １９：００〜２０：００ (Costa Rica Time)
*Please join Zoom using the QR code on the flyer.
Oleander Initiative / U.S.
On June 8, 2023, the Oleander Initiative hosted a one-day program for six third-year students from Rutland High School in Vermont. This program came to fruition by their teacher, Ron Eysenman’s wish to bring his students to Hiroshima before their graduation. He was a participant in the 2018 UME Oleander program.
In the morning, the students listened to the A-bomb testimony shared by Mr. Soh Horie, and visited Peace Park and the Peace Memorial Museum in the afternoon. They also visited Jogakuin High School and were shown around the campus by Jogakuin students.
We were moved by how the students were determined to learn and know as much as possible about Hiroshima in the short time they had, despite being soaked by the pouring rain.
Oleander Initiative / Middle East
Oleander Initiative Middle East Program
The UME Oleander Initiative Peace Education Program for Middle Eastern educators was held from July 26 – August 1, 2023.
The program was designed for the nine Middle Eastern and North African educators to learn about Hiroshima’s history, peace culture and peace education. We also held workshops to devise lesson plans for peace education based on what the participants learned in Hiroshima to be implemented in their respective countries.
Oleander Initiative / PAX Christi
The peace education program for PAX Christi took place from March 7 to 12, 2024, with 11 Catholic social activists.
The program included visits to Nagarekawa Church and the Jesuit Monastery in Nagatsuka, where we learned about the history of the city of Hiroshima from a religious perspective. In cooperation with the Hiroshima Noborimachi Church and the A-bomb survivors’ organizations in Hiroshima, a time for a peace gathering was planned, which deepened exchanges between the program participants and the people of Hiroshima.
[UME website] Pax Christi Study Tour and Pilgrimage to Hiroshima
Oleander Initiative / UK
From June 23 to 27, 2024, we hosted a peace education program for five participants from the UK, who are experts in the field of mental health.
While learning about the history and peace culture of Hiroshima city, many words and thoughts were exchanged amongst the participants, including the staff, which led to a deeper understanding for each one of us. In a zine-making workshop organized by the participants from the UK, we made zines on the theme ‘What is peace?’ and shared our thoughts and feelings that transcended words.
The program made us realize that one of the most important pieces of ‘peace’ is to connect people and to cherish those connections.
[UME website] Hiroshima Through the Lens of Mental Health: Oleander UK Complexity of Peace Program