Students to hold exhibition after learning about desire of former mayor Hamai, a leader in realizing “A City Dedicated to Peace” during Hiroshima’s post-war reconstruction
Jul. 20, 2020
by Yuji Yamamoto, Staff Writer
University students in Hiroshima have learned about Shinso Hamai from Junso Hamai, 84, Shinso’s son. As mayor of Hiroshima, the late Mr. Hamai made great efforts in reconstructing the city after the atomic bombing. They listened to what feelings Mr. Hamai had of his father and learned about the starting point of “Hiroshima, A City Dedicated to Peace.” The students will hold an outdoor exhibition on what they have learned on August 5 in the Peace Memorial Park.
The students’ exhibition will be part of an event held by “one dream,” a civic group based in Naka Ward and led by Yoko Sasaki. The group has held a concert every year around the Motoyasu River Shinsui Terrace. However, the group has decided to change the contents of this year’s event due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Shinso Hamai became mayor of Hiroshima in 1947, two years after the atomic bombing. He read out his peace declaration during the first Peace Festival held the same year. He is known for materializing the Hiroshima Peace Memorial City Construction Law and improving Peace Memorial Park.
Junso told the eight students, “I would like you to learn about the desperate efforts made by people who reconstructed the city, even though it was said that nothing would grow in the devastated city for 75 years.” He also told them about his father’s belief that human beings and nuclear weapons cannot coexist, a message his father tried to convey in his peace declaration delivered during the first Peace Festival.
Taking those people’s thoughts into consideration, students will write letters to former Hiroshima Mayor Hamai, describing how they want to shape the future of Hiroshima and the world, and the letters will be displayed during the event. Suzune Kawamoto, 20, a second-year student at Hiroshima City University, said, “I will try to understand the former mayor’s desire and consider the wording of my letter.”
The exhibition will be between 1:00 and 6:00 p.m. on August 5, but will be canceled in bad weather. Cards on which some 3,000 citizens’ vows for the future are written will also be on display along with works of origami.
(Originally published on July 20, 2020)
University students in Hiroshima have learned about Shinso Hamai from Junso Hamai, 84, Shinso’s son. As mayor of Hiroshima, the late Mr. Hamai made great efforts in reconstructing the city after the atomic bombing. They listened to what feelings Mr. Hamai had of his father and learned about the starting point of “Hiroshima, A City Dedicated to Peace.” The students will hold an outdoor exhibition on what they have learned on August 5 in the Peace Memorial Park.
The students’ exhibition will be part of an event held by “one dream,” a civic group based in Naka Ward and led by Yoko Sasaki. The group has held a concert every year around the Motoyasu River Shinsui Terrace. However, the group has decided to change the contents of this year’s event due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Shinso Hamai became mayor of Hiroshima in 1947, two years after the atomic bombing. He read out his peace declaration during the first Peace Festival held the same year. He is known for materializing the Hiroshima Peace Memorial City Construction Law and improving Peace Memorial Park.
Junso told the eight students, “I would like you to learn about the desperate efforts made by people who reconstructed the city, even though it was said that nothing would grow in the devastated city for 75 years.” He also told them about his father’s belief that human beings and nuclear weapons cannot coexist, a message his father tried to convey in his peace declaration delivered during the first Peace Festival.
Taking those people’s thoughts into consideration, students will write letters to former Hiroshima Mayor Hamai, describing how they want to shape the future of Hiroshima and the world, and the letters will be displayed during the event. Suzune Kawamoto, 20, a second-year student at Hiroshima City University, said, “I will try to understand the former mayor’s desire and consider the wording of my letter.”
The exhibition will be between 1:00 and 6:00 p.m. on August 5, but will be canceled in bad weather. Cards on which some 3,000 citizens’ vows for the future are written will also be on display along with works of origami.
(Originally published on July 20, 2020)
