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Peace Forum for Foreign Students: Toward A Lasting Peace |
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Peace Forums for Foreign Students were held to convey the reality of Hiroshima
in various forms to foreign students who have chosen to study here so that
they would come to regard the atomic bombing as an issue not of the past
but of the present and future and to foster young people who will work
toward lasting world peace. A total of 236 people, including 67 foreign
students, participated in forums on Saturday, July 30 and Friday, August
6. |
Considering Peace Through Images
At the first forum, "The Back of Destiny", an independent film
directed by Tomoki Deyama, was screened (with English subtitles). In a
new endeavor, local residents were invited to participate in the forum
along with the foreign students with the idea that providing an opportunity
for people from different countries to put their heads together on the
issue of peace would deepen understanding of Hiroshima and lead to lasting
world peace.
"The Back of Destiny" depicts the lives of a Hiroshima couple
before the dropping of the atomic bomb and how they find the strength to
survive afterwards. Following the screening of the film, producer Hisako
Deyama described |
Forum participants listen to a description of the film "The Back of Destiny" |
the difficulties encountered while making the film and gave a slide presentation
on the subject. A video message from Tomoki Deyama was also shown.
During the discussion and question-and-answer session that followed,
local residents offered their opinions, but unfortunately the foreign students
said little. But this forum, which was not limited to foreign students
and included local citizens for the first time, had such an impact that
the number of participants exceeded the capacity of the original venue
so an additional site had to be used. This suggested the depth of Hiroshima
residents' interest in peace and their strong desire to convey the spirit
of Hiroshima. Some people were seen to cry during the screening of the
film.
In their reports, the foreign students said that seeing the film allowed
them to gain a better understanding of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima
and learn the importance of peace. This forum demonstrated that images
can sometimes convey the need for peace better than words. |
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Forum participants attend the Peace Memorial Ceremony |
Attendance at Peace Memorial Ceremony
On August 6, a date annually dedicated to peace in Hiroshima, the foreign
students attended the Peace Memorial Ceremony. Those who were attending
for the first time as well as those who attend every year looked a little
nervous amid the solemn atmosphere of the ceremony site and the elderly
participants offering prayers.
By attending the ceremony the foreign students gained a strong awareness
of peace and seemed to recognize the importance of passing on the spirit
of Hiroshima in the context of the aging of the atomic bomb survivors.
Regardless of race or gender, all those who |
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desire peace, must pass on the reality of the atomic bombing,
so we will continue to carry out projects that will encourage foreign students to think about and take action on global peace. |
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(Hiroshima City International House) |
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