Istituto Comprensivo “G.B. Niccolini” learned about the Kaki Tree Project from a person in Poggibonsi, Italy where the tree planting took place on 1st of April 2000 and they wanted to have the tree planted in their city as well, so Mr. Andrea Famiglietti, principal of the school, and Ms. Sonia Pieraccioni, project leader, applied for the project. Giovanni Battista Niccolini School is a public school, which consists of 10 individual schools, with about 1,200 students ages from 3 to 19 and is the second largest school in the province of Pisa. As the planting site, one of the 10 schools, the schoolyard of Givanni Pascoli Elementary School was chosen. On the day of the tree planting ceremony, a big persimmon tree and olives were painted on the wall of the entrance of the school and large drawings done by children were displayed in the schoolyard.
Children of Giovanni Battista Niccolini School gathered to the site one after another by bus. After the Japanese and Italian national anthems were performed, there were speeches given by the deputy mayor, concerned parties and Mr. Ebinuma and then the song “Il dottore e le piantine” and a cute dance were performed by the children of Agnano Kindergarten. Afterward the tree was planted in the middle of the schoolyard, within the big fence that was made especially for the seedling. During the planting, a trumpet song called “Silenzio” was performed and created a solemn atmosphere. Then, the Kaki Tree Project and its local office exchanged a plaque and the project’s wrapping cloth, and concluded the ceremony with taking ceremonial photos. For this ceremony, Ms. Masako Suzuki, who helped us at the tree planting ceremony in the republic of San Marino, helped again as an interpreter.
The other tree will be planted in the Peace Park in the city of San Giuliano Terme.
From 6pm on the same day of the tree planting, ”Briciole di Pace,” an annual event which is held at the end of a school year with the theme of peace, was held in the schoolyard of G.B. Niccolini School Main Building. This year’s theme was persimmon tree and the event featured singing, dancing and artworks by children and students from kindergarten to high school. Everything was inspired by peace and persimmon tree, and the event was a huge success with 1,400 visitors from the city.
