Commitment to Peace
Aug. 6, 2017
August 6, 2017
Hiroshima before the atomic bombing had the beauty of nature, the warmth and kind smiles of loved ones,
a future being built together.
Hiroshima had normal, everyday life.
At 8:15 am on August 6, 1945, Hiroshima became a burnt plain.
The city was lost.
So many lives, so many dreams were lost.
A survivor then in elementary school tells us,“Even looking at my dead mother and sister, I shed no tears.”
They were robbed even of their feelings.
The people of Hiroshima, robbed of their most precious things,
carry deep scars in their hearts.
And yet, Hiroshima is again filled naturally with smiles, a city of trees, plants, and green, a city of peace that draws concern from people around the world.
If Hiroshima’s people had given in,
if they had given up their determination to recover,
if none had struggled through the pain,
Hiroshima would not be what it is today.
A place to think about peace—Hiroshima.
A place to commit to peace—Hiroshima.
A place to start thinking about the future—Hiroshima.
The people of the future don’t need to experience war,
but they do need to learn the facts, the realities of war.
Knowing the importance of each individual life, accepting each other, speaking directly to the people of the world, we will communicate tenaciously, never giving up.
We, children of Hiroshima, will summon the courage to build bridges that connect heart to heart.
Children’s Representatives:
Naonari Takemasu (6th grade, Hiroshima City Oshiba Elementary School)
Nozomi Fukunaga (6th grade, Hiroshima City Nakasuji Elementary School)
Hiroshima before the atomic bombing had the beauty of nature, the warmth and kind smiles of loved ones,
a future being built together.
Hiroshima had normal, everyday life.
At 8:15 am on August 6, 1945, Hiroshima became a burnt plain.
The city was lost.
So many lives, so many dreams were lost.
A survivor then in elementary school tells us,“Even looking at my dead mother and sister, I shed no tears.”
They were robbed even of their feelings.
The people of Hiroshima, robbed of their most precious things,
carry deep scars in their hearts.
And yet, Hiroshima is again filled naturally with smiles, a city of trees, plants, and green, a city of peace that draws concern from people around the world.
If Hiroshima’s people had given in,
if they had given up their determination to recover,
if none had struggled through the pain,
Hiroshima would not be what it is today.
A place to think about peace—Hiroshima.
A place to commit to peace—Hiroshima.
A place to start thinking about the future—Hiroshima.
The people of the future don’t need to experience war,
but they do need to learn the facts, the realities of war.
Knowing the importance of each individual life, accepting each other, speaking directly to the people of the world, we will communicate tenaciously, never giving up.
We, children of Hiroshima, will summon the courage to build bridges that connect heart to heart.
Children’s Representatives:
Naonari Takemasu (6th grade, Hiroshima City Oshiba Elementary School)
Nozomi Fukunaga (6th grade, Hiroshima City Nakasuji Elementary School)
