As Cansorzio Travolo Della Pace Franciacorta – Monte Orfano took the lead in organizing, tree plantings at six municipalities in the Province of Brescia were realized. One of the sites was Don Remo Tonoli Primary School in the town of Coccaglio. When Mr. Ebinuma and others arrived, children who were eating the school lunch at the cafeteria welcomed them with a big applause. Prior to the tree planting ceremony, they showed us the models of a ruined city with a huge mushroom cloud and a beautifully revived city with a big persimmon tree which stands in the middle of the city, as well as art objects, drawings, collage works, and a story of persimmon tree whose projected images were displayed on the ceiling using a projector. All of those were very nice and teachers at the school provided us detailed explanations.
The tree planting took place in the front schoolyard of the primary school and all the pupils sat around the big flag. Then a talk by the principal, an explanation about the project by the teacher in charge, delivery of Mr. Ebinuma’s message, singing by children, presentation of Kaki Tree Furoshiki (Persimmon wrapping cloth) and poetry reading followed. There was a game, in which they played in pairs doing dance movements like the Japanese Tea-picking song.
Afterward all the participants including all the children and Mr. Ebinuma wore the handmade medals and three children on behalf of all the children planted the tree, covering it with soil. Nice wood fences were built around the tree and a white monument was also built. Mr. Ebinuma lowered the red cloth that covered the monument and that concluded the ceremony. Even after the ceremony, children swarmed over Mr. Ebinuma asking for his autograph.
