Conveying The Spirit of Hiroshima:
Students from American Universities Visit Hiroshima on Study Tour
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With the aim of conveying the experience of A-bomb to future generations, this Foundation is working to establish and promote the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Study Course at universities around the world.
As part of this project, 11 students and staff from the University of
Indianapolis in the United States and 14 students and staff from Central
Connecticut State University, also in the United States, visited Hiroshima
in May and June 2010, respectively, as a part of their study tour. With
this Foundation's support, they learned about the reality of the atomic
bombing, and deepened their understanding of ‘The Spirit of Hiroshima’,
aiming for the abolition of nuclear weapons and perpetual world peace.
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University of Indianapolis
| Group from Universuty of Indianapolis with Mr. Matsushima (front row center) |
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This group participated in their first study tour in Hiroshima from May 11 (Tue) to 13 (Thu).
On May 11, they toured the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Peace Memorial
Park, and visited the display of paper cranes at the former Hiroshima Municipal
Baseball Stadium.
On the morning of May 12, after listening to the A-bomb testimony of
Mr. Keijiro Matsushima (hibakusha), they watched ‘The Mushroom Club’, a documentary film of A-bomb survivors.
In the afternoon, the group was divided into two groups: one visited Hiroshima
Castle and the Ruins of the Chugoku Regional Military Headquarters Air
Defence Room and the Shukkeien (Japanese garden), and the other |
group visited the Radiation Effects Research Foundation. In the evening,
the group met up with university students from Hiroshima.
On May 13, the participants listened to a recital of A-bomb poetry and
recited their own poems, after which they made a tour of the Hiroshima
National Peace Memorial Hall for Atomic Bomb Victims. |
Central Connecticut State University
This group took their study tour in Hiroshima from June 3 (Thu) to 5 (Sat).
On June 3, after listening to the atomic bombing testimony of Mr. Keijiro
Matsushima, the group visited the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Museum and Peace
Memorial Park. After this they listened to a recital of A-bomb poetry and
took a tour of the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for Atomic Bomb
Victims.
On the morning of June 4, the group visited the Hiroshima Peace Institute
and listened to a lecture by Professor Toshiyuki Tanaka. In the afternoon
they visited Hiroshima Municipal Funairi High School, the old school of
Professor Shizuko |
| Group from Central Connecticut State University (visiting Peace Memorial Park) |
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Tomoda of their University, who was accompanying them on the trip. After
a tour of the school, the group listened to Professor Tomoda's speech in
a class, as part of the International Communication Course. Then, they
divided into groups with the students from the Course and held discussions.
After school they also participated in a discussion session with students
from the theatre club.
On the morning of June 5, the group made visits, the main locations being
the former Bank of Japan Hiroshima Branch, Fukuromachi Elementary School
Peace Museum and the display of paper cranes at the former Hiroshima Municipal
Baseball Stadium. In the afternoon, after listening to the A-bomb testimony
of Ms. Sadae Kasaoka, the group held discussions with students from universities,
including Hiroshima City University and Hiroshima University of Economics,
as well as exchange students from Germany and Kazakhstan. The theme was
how to perceive, memorize and convey the A-bombing of Hiroshima in the
context of the Fifteen Years War. The young students enjoyed speaking with
other people of the same age, and all participated in very fruitful discussion. |
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(Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division)
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