A series of tree planting ceremonies were held in 8 locations in March 2010 in the Province of Brescia, Italy, and this was one of them.
Fondazione Don Angelo Colombo, the senior care home in Travagliato, had applied for the project and in the morning of 24 March, the tree planting ceremony was held in the garden of the care home. About 250 children from neighboring kindergarten, primary and middle schools participated in the ceremony, and children and the elderly were enjoying each other’s company. At the ceremony, kindergarten children sang a song waving their bandannas, middle school students recited poems by Bob Dylan and gave a bucket drum and xylophone performance, and primary school pupils played recorders. Then the elderly shared their war experience and the children eagerly listened to them. At the end, everybody joined in the planting of the kaki tree.
Information materials on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that were on display inside the facility and children’s posters, drawings and poems which were made prior to the ceremony when they had learned about the project were especially fantastic. Their quantity and high quality were truly amazing. Although many elderly people in the care home are with dementia, they seemed to be very happy as they could spend time with children because it is not usual for them to see so many children and that also made us happy. The elderly casually participated in the ceremony and dedicated flowers to the kaki tree as well. It was a heart-warming ceremony.
