FEATURE: Hiroshima A-bomb girl inspiring Filipino children to fold peace cranes
Children in the Philippines are folding origami peace cranes inspired by the story of Sadako Sasaki, a victim of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. The campaign, organized by a local priest, aims to promote global peace amid ongoing international conflicts.
Why it matters
The story illustrates how historical trauma and symbols of peace are used to educate younger generations and foster activism in response to contemporary geopolitical tensions.
MANILA - The story of Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who died of leukemia 10 years after being exposed to radiation from the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, has inspired children in the Philippines to fold origami peace cranes in a campaign to end war.
In events organized by Catholic priest Robert Reyes, the children gathered on two occasions, in late April and mid-May, in a church in Quezon City, north of the capital Manila, and folded over 1,000 colorful cranes. Reyes said they aim to promote peace "through something as simple as folding origami."
The paper crane became a symbol of hope and peace after World War II, and that symbolism has taken on renewed significance over the years, particularly as conflicts such as the recent fighting involving Israel, the United States and Iran continue around the world.
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