Category: Planting Ceremony

The project first started at the Fukushima Geijutsu Keikaku x Art Support Tohoku-Tokyo’s Kick-off Forum on 30 June 2012. In cooperation with the Fukushima prefectural government, Fukushima Museum and Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art, f A teacher from Tomioka kindergarten attended the event and got inspired by the Project. The word passed around, and we received the tree planting applications not only from Tomioka kindergarten but also Shiraume and Higashi-gyonin kindergartens in Aizu-wakamatsu City.

The project first started at the Fukushima Geijutsu Keikaku x Art Support Tohoku-Tokyo’s Kick-off Forum on 30 June 2012. In cooperation with the Fukushima prefectural government, Fukushima Museum and Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art, f A teacher from Tomioka kindergarten attended the event and got inspired by the Project. The word passed around, and we received the tree planting applications not only from Tomioka kindergarten but also Shiraume and Higashi-gyonin kindergartens in Aizu-wakamatsu City. Finally, they took group photos, ate the puffed rice snack, danced “Hyokkori Hyotan Jima” again with everyone, prayed for the kaki tree’s healthy growth and ended the ceremony. On 28 March, the tree was transplanted in… Read more »

The project first started at the Fukushima Geijutsu Keikaku x Art Support Tohoku-Tokyo’s Kick-off Forum on 30 June 2012. In cooperation with the Fukushima prefectural government, Fukushima Museum and Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art, f A teacher from Tomioka kindergarten attended the event and got inspired by the Project. The word passed around, and we received the tree planting applications not only from Tomioka kindergarten but also Shiraume and Higashi-gyonin kindergartens in Aizu-wakamatsu City. Volunteers made puffed grain snack in front of the children, as well. The snack is made by placing rice grains under high pressure. The children were loudly counting down the seconds until there was a big… Read more »

Afterwards, they planted the “seedling from the bombed tree” in the school vegetable garden on the premises. The female student who was the MC for the planting ceremony nicknamed the tree “Fusashi,” in hoping that the tree would grow well and become ‘bushy (fusa-fusa).’ Later they told us the nickname became the tree’s official name.

She has launched the Kaki Tree Project Executive Committee in Aki, and planned the tree planting ceremony together with the Ioki Council of Social Welfare. Then, in the exhibition room below, local high-school students conducted Japanse lantern painting and origami workshops. Finally, all the participants sang together “Believe.” While people were still feeling the excitement from it, Ms. Kusunose delivered a few words to close the planting ceremony. It was such an attractive ceremony, which was rare within the country and touched us deeply.

Daughter of Dr. Ebinuma, Ms. Hitomi, is currently teaching at Nishikita Elementary School.

The “Garden of Peace and Hope” was created in collaboration with Global Hope Network International and Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information & Culture. It is located inside the National Gallery in Kabul. The garden and its facilities were designed and accomplished with the purpose of providing beauty and inspiration to the art fields and contributing to peace and hope. The garden gives a sense of “paradise” or oasis, in which people seek refuge from the oppressive and hostile elements that often exist in society. It should be the place of reflection, creation, opinion exchange, and aspiration for development and well-being of the art fields. The garden is hoped to be a… Read more »

Mr. Rosario Scollo, who applied for the planting in Sicily, is responsible for SCI (Service Civil International) activities in the entire province of Catania. SCI was established in 1920 and is one of the largest volunteer organizations in the world. It promotes a culture of peace by breaking down prejudices and barriers between people with different social, cultural and national backgrounds. They organized a photo exhibition of atomic bombings in the spring of 2011. On the day of planting, children from the primary school gathered in the schoolyard where they hung the big national flags of Japan and Italy on the wall. Several participants made speeches, and secondary school pupils… Read more »

The town Cisternino, in which Valle d’Itria Botanical Conservatory is located, is in the center of Puglia, and situated between two ports (Taranto and Brindisi). The conservatory is established by Mr. Paolo Belloni in 2004, which shows abundant examples of biodiversity. Therefore, pupils and students visit the conservatory for their research. 300 varieties of fig trees, biblically a symbol of peace, are planted and grown here. Ms. Tiziana Volta, editor of an Italian magazine called “Gardenia,” has applied for the plantings at three locations; the conservatory, the National Gallery in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Parco San Giovanni, Trieste, Italy. On the day of the planting ceremony, children came by a school… Read more »

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 »