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Upon arriving at Hiroshima station, you could immediately
feel the humidity in the air. After lunch, we drove to the
Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park, and Atomic Bomb Museum,
which felt rather ironic given the date celebrated in the
USA, 7-04.
Seeing the Atomic Bomb Dome takes your breath away! The Peace
Memorial Park is very beautiful. I enjoyed seeing the lotus
flowers surrounding the peace bell on which is a depiction
of our continents without boundaries. It is truly remarkable
how this city has chosen peace and reconciliation and is a
beacon of peacemaking for all of us.
One of my favorite parts of the park was the statue commemorating
the life of a young girl, Sadako, who died of cancer at 12.
The story tells us of how Sadako and her friends used origami
cranes as symbols of hope and peace. We also saw trees that
had survived. These two trees have beautiful white blossoms.
Their nuts are harvested and shared with schools throughout
Japan. The seed of peace is sown in the country.
The devastation of the a-bomb is apparent throughout the
park and museum. The personal stories and artifacts enable
the history to become more alive for us. And while the sharing
of these stories must be so difficult for the Japanese, it
is also so important for us to experience as we explore our
roles as educators to promote peace!
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