The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation will host the 24th annual Sadako Peace Day to remember the victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and all innocent victims of war.
The event is free and open to the public, and will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 6 in the Sadako Peace Garden at La Casa de Maria, 800 El Bosque Road in Montecito.
Sadako Peace Day is a time to honor Sadako Sasaki, a child from Hiroshima who was 2 years old at the time of the atomic bombing. Twelve years later, she died from radiation-induced leukemia as a result of that bombing.
Japanese legend holds that one’s wish will be granted upon folding 1,000 paper cranes. While in the hospital, Sadako folded more than 1,000 paper cranes, hoping it might help her get well. Sadly, Sadako died without ever returning to health.
Students in Japan were so moved by her story that they began folding paper cranes, too. The paper crane has become an international symbol of peace, and a statue of Sadako now stands in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
The event is a time to reflect on the past in hopes of building a more peaceful future. This year’s event marks the renewal of La Casa de Maria, a spiritual retreat in Montecito that sustained substantial damage during the severe mud and debris flows that occurred following the Thomas Fire.
There will be poetry, live music, a reflection and a peace crane folding workshop by the Peace Crane Project. Refreshments will be served after the ceremony. Click here for more information.
— Sandy Jones is the communications director for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.