Category: Archives

Pax Christi, a Non-Profit and a Non-Governmental Organization, is an international Catholic peace movement. Its movement involves in a variety of issues such as human rights, human security, arms reduction, demilitarization, just world order, religion, and violent conflicts. It also has launched several peace movements and campaigns, and works especially together with children and the youth. Pax Christi applied for the Project, and the planting took place in the garden of the “House Peace,” which belongs to Pax Christi Italy. The “House of Peace” is located on the hill near Florence and holds various events such as peace and nonviolence enhancement week and meetings as well as workshops for children…. Read more »

Mantova is one of the most beautiful cities in northern Italy. Mr. Agostino Mantovani of G. Folonari Cultural Institute (Instituto di Cultura G. Folonari) applied for the Project. He wants to spread the Kaki Tree Project, which has been spreading in Brescia, also in Mantova. The kaki tree was planted in green space of the agriturismo where tourists from all over the world, and local children visit on their school trip and the old 15th century monastery stands. The agriturismo is located 2km away from the city center, and it is also part of the Mincio Natural Park where many different types of trees are planted. Children from the neighboring… Read more »

The primary school of M. Calini is one of the schools that belongs to the Instituto Comprehensivo centro 3 and children at the school have been engaged in creative dance activities over the years. Ms. Aurora Castiglioni, a teacher of the school, applied for the Project because she believes that revitalization is possible by sowing seeds of hope for a peaceful world. Children first gathered in the school library and surrounded the potted kaki tree in the middle, and heard a talk on the tree. Then, they went outside and planted the tree on a bit sloping ground, which can be seen well from the school building. After the planting,… Read more »

Botanist Antonio De Matola, Manager of the botanical garden in Ome (Orto Botanico Ome), is the person who applied for the Project. The kaki tree was planted in the Mercato Square, which is located in the middle of the town. The square is next to the “Fra’ Tomaso Bongetti” Comprehensive School. Many children from the comprehensive school as well as the mayor attended the tree planting ceremony. They decorated the tree with beautiful flowers after the planting. Then they moved to the school gymnasium where a variety of workshops and performances, including karate and children’s dance in Yukata (Japanese summer kimono) were held. The Kaki Furoshiki was also presented to… Read more »

The municipal government of Villanuova sul Clisi applied for the Project as the association “Tavolo della Pace” in Brescia introduced them the Kaki Tree Project. The municipal government held a briefing session on the Kaki Tree Project at primary and secondary schools prior to the planting and ask pupils to create works. The planting ceremony was held at the primary school of the comprehensive school where children from age 3 to 15 attend. Many children as well as the mayor and child mayor took part in the ceremony. The national flag of Japan was raised, and children read their poems. Representatives from the pupils put soil over the tree roots.

Costorio comprehensive school applied for the Project, and the kaki tree was planted at the primary school of Costorio. Many children as well as the mayor attended the ceremony. Everyone gathered in the school’s gymnasium after the planting where dance performances were held under the hung folded cranes (Orizuru) from the ceiling.

The plantings at the Comprehensive School in Gavardo as well as at a primary school in Sopraponte in Brescia was initiated by Ms. Nicoli Emilia. As a war-time command center was recently discovered in Gavardo, locals’ hope for peace is growing. Teachers also have strong aspirations to teach their pupils peace and ethnic friendship through the planting of the kaki tree. The street in front of the lower secondary school was closed when the tree planting ceremony was held, and more than 300 children attended. After primary school children played “Ode to Joy” on the recorder, the mayor made a speech. Four primary school pupils also read poems on peace… Read more »

Primary school in Sopraponte is one of the schools that belongs to the Comprehensive School in Gavardo, and the planting at the school was initiated by Ms. Nicoli Emilia, who initiated the planting at the secondary school in Gavardo, Brescia, as well. As a war-time command center was recently discovered in Gavardo, locals’ hope for peace is growing. Teachers also have strong aspirations to teach their pupils peace and ethnic friendship through the planting of the kaki tree. The tree planting ceremony was held in the open space in front of the school building and kindergarten pupils were also invited. The workshop mainly consisted of recorder and singing performances by… Read more »

Green space where the kaki tree was planted lies between “Gianni Rodari” Primary School, and “Antonio Gramsci” Lower Secondary School, both of which are comprehensive schools located in the city center. The city of Roncadelle applied for the Project. The tree planting ceremony was attended by pupils from both schools and “Ode to Joy” was performed after child mayor’s greeting. Dr. Ebinuma and then the mayor made speeches. Mainly, primary school pupils helped plant the tree and held the flags of Japan and Italy. After they put soil over the tree roots with their bare hands, they bowed like Japanese and thanked Dr. Ebinuma by saying it in Japanese “Arigato.”… Read more »

The planting in the kindergarten yard of Sonico kindergarten was initiated by Mr. Giacomo Fanetti, a retired local resident. Mr. Fanetti hopes that each of the children and youth who are going to live there have an interest in the idea of “peace” and want these children to become familiar with this important value. He had contacted local primary school teachers so that themes related to peace would be taken in the class and ask them to teach tolerance, acceptance of God, settlement of dispute through dialog and peaceful exchange of opinions during the class. The planting ceremony was first held inside the kindergarten’s classroom. Pupils from the kindergarten and… Read more »

San Giovanni Square was used to be occupied by residences but in 1908, a phychiatric hospital was built, which was administered first by the municipal office, the provincial government, then by the University of Trieste, and the square is now open to the public and serves the community. There is a rose garden with 5,000 varieties of roses where local children, and the elderly can relax and enjoy. Ms. Tiziana Volta, editor of an Italian magazine called “Gardenia,” has applied for the plantings at Parco San Giovanni as well as Conservatorio Botanico della Valle d’Itria, Province of Brindisi, Italy, and the National Gallery in Kabul, Afghanistan. About 30 people from… Read more »

Over the years, Gerolamo Cardano High School has been supporting the projects that evaluate historical events, with contributions from IpR (the Pedagogical Institute of Resistance) and ANPI (the National Association of the Italian Partisans), especially those related to concentration camps or by visiting the concentration camp in Auschwitz. The school applied for the Kaki Tree Project because by deepening the learning of the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and through knowledge and recollection of the events, they want to prevent it from happening again. High school teacher Ms. Daniela Campiotti applied for the Project but the entire school welcomed the kaki tree. Prior to the tree planting ceremony on 13… Read more »

Mr. Shinichi Yano, who teaches at the two kindergartens as art teacher applied for the Project. Mr. Yano has also applied for the plantings at Yumenomori Kindergarten on 13 May 2005 and Yokohama Civic Art Gallery Azamino on 9 June 2006, and has been engaging in the kindergarten art education over many years. The 26 alumni of the Green Hill Kindergarten and their parents came by bus from Hachioji. The Tama Art University students also came to offer their help. As the children arrived there, the Beckway house, which is located in a quiet mountainous area, at once turned into a lively place filled with children, and then the tree-planting… Read more »

Tree Planting Ceremonies in Six Districts of Takaho Region, Suzaka City, Nagano Prefecture (Districts of Nobe, Muraishi-machi, Kami-Haccho, Shimo-Haccho, Bogakudai, Myotoku) Mr. Seiji Arai, who read the article on the Kaki Tree Project in the Shinano Mainichi Shimbun, applied for the Project. The planting took place on 1 March 2001 at Takaho Elementary School in Suzaka City. Members of the Takaho regional development committee had been watching over the two kaki trees since its planting in 2001. Since the trees have started producing fruit, locals took initiatives in passing on the story of the seedlings of the bombed kaki tree to children through a kaki fruit peeling competition and other… Read more »

Mr. Takeya Kaburaki, President of Kabuchan Nouen (Farm) had an interest in the Kaki Tree Project, and he went to see the kaki tree planted in the Finsbury Park when he visited London in 2009 on his business trip. Then, he also visited the kaki trees planted at Takaho Elementary School in Suzaka City, Nagano Prefecture as well as Ryuhoku Park in Taito-Ku, Tokyo. He has been supporting the Project since then in many ways by publishing an article on the Kaki Tree Project in the company’s PR magazine, launching a photo rally on the website, and handing out the leaflets of foster parent recruitment at local events. Although he… Read more »