Sadako Sasaki was a two year old Japanese girl when the atom bomb fell upon her city of Hiroshima. Nine years later she developed Leukemia from the radiation of the bomb. It was called the atom bomb disease. While in the hospital, her friend Chizuko, brought her a golden, folded, paper crane. There is a Japanese story which tells that if one folds a thousand paper cranes their wish will be granted. Sadako used papers from medicine bottles and paper bags to make her cranes. She folded 644 cranes before she died. Her classmates completed the thousand cranes and she was buried with them.
After her death, her classmates raised money in order to build a memorial to her and all of the children who died from the atomic bomb. People from all over the world fold 1000 paper cranes and send them to Hiroshima to be placed in the peace park where a statue of Sadako stands, holding a golden crane. There is a plaque which reads:
"This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world."
When I visited Japan I met a survivor of the atom bomb. He was very old. He spends his life promoting peace. He said, "Peace begins with the person next to you." I have always remembered this kind gentleman and his wise words.
At Captain School we talk about peace and learn to handle our problems peacefully. It is sometimes hard, but we keep working at it. During the past two years students have been coming to the art studio during recess to make paper cranes. Sometimes they would work on them from home.We have completed 1000 cranes and will send them to Japan at the end of the school year. We are sending them in honor of all children who die, become sick or homeless because of wars in the world. We send them to Japan in hope for peace...just as Sadako would have wanted.
Origami Is The Art of Japanese Paper Folding
