Afghan officials learn about history of reconstruction in Hiroshima
Nov. 9, 2010
by Masahiro Yanagimoto, Staff Writer
On November 6, a party of 55 trainees from Afghanistan, comprised of government officials and university professors, visited Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and learned about the reality of the atomic bomb damage and the history of the city’s reconstruction through such means as listening to the account of an A-bomb survivor.
After offering flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims, they listened to the experience of Yoshiko Kajimoto, 79, who encountered the bombing at the age of 14 at a factory where she was mobilized. In her account, she said, “I fled through the city, which was full of dead bodies. Even now, I can’t forget the sight.” The Afghan trainees also toured Peace Memorial Museum.
The group came to Hiroshima as part of a program, sponsored by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Hiroshima Office, to foster human resources for the reconstruction efforts being undertaken in Afghanistan. Maiwand Akbari, 23, a senior financial management adviser at a training institute for public employees, said that Hiroshima today is a peaceful and beautiful city. She added that she would like to follow Hiroshima’s example in reconstructing her nation.
(Originally published on November 7, 2010)
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Hamid Karzai visits Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, learns from Hiroshima for Afghan reconstruction (June 22, 2010)
UNITAR Hiroshima Office will double number of Afghan trainees (April 6, 2010)
On November 6, a party of 55 trainees from Afghanistan, comprised of government officials and university professors, visited Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and learned about the reality of the atomic bomb damage and the history of the city’s reconstruction through such means as listening to the account of an A-bomb survivor.
After offering flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims, they listened to the experience of Yoshiko Kajimoto, 79, who encountered the bombing at the age of 14 at a factory where she was mobilized. In her account, she said, “I fled through the city, which was full of dead bodies. Even now, I can’t forget the sight.” The Afghan trainees also toured Peace Memorial Museum.
The group came to Hiroshima as part of a program, sponsored by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Hiroshima Office, to foster human resources for the reconstruction efforts being undertaken in Afghanistan. Maiwand Akbari, 23, a senior financial management adviser at a training institute for public employees, said that Hiroshima today is a peaceful and beautiful city. She added that she would like to follow Hiroshima’s example in reconstructing her nation.
(Originally published on November 7, 2010)
Related articles
Hamid Karzai visits Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, learns from Hiroshima for Afghan reconstruction (June 22, 2010)
UNITAR Hiroshima Office will double number of Afghan trainees (April 6, 2010)