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Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers to share Hiroshima overseas

by Hiromi Morita, Staff Writer

Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) and Senior Volunteers (SV) from Hiroshima Prefecture assembled at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum on June 19 to learn about the city of Hiroshima and efforts for peace in anticipation of their upcoming departure overseas. The purpose of this gathering was to enable the participants to convey the experience of Hiroshima in the countries to which they will be dispatched.

A total of 15 people, who will be sent to nations in the Asia-Pacific region, Central America, and Africa, attended the study session. They were introduced to poster displays and DVDs that depict the damage of the bombing and describe peace activities, which they can borrow and take overseas. They also watched a video revealing the deep pain of the A-bomb survivors and toured the museum exhibits.

This study program for JOCV and SV was initiated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2004. That year, one JOCV from Hiroshima held an A-bomb awareness exhibition in Nicaragua. Since then, similar exhibitions have been organized by JOCVs from Hiroshima and other prefectures in more than 50 countries.

Haruka Omoto, 23, is a junior high school teacher who has been assigned to teach math and science in Samoa. She expressed enthusiasm for her mission, stating, “I hope I’ll have the opportunity to promote peace education there.”

(Originally published on June 20, 2008)

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