Salisbury CND Candle Float: Feedback from Hiroshima Students

Posted: 5th September 2024

This is the feedback that we received from the students in Kyoso Junior High School in Hiroshima, who made 20 beautiful lanterns to join with our own floating down the Avon.

We so appreciate these links and this feedback. It is so special that we were all able to act together to remind the world of the horrors of nuclear weapons and the absolute importance of continuing our work for peace. We appreciate this co-operation that spans our two countries and several generations.

Students’ feedback at Kyoso Junior High School

Q1 Has your thoughts about peace changed after helping to make the lanterns?

Until now, even though people knew that an atomic bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima, I didn’t know how to convey the horror of it all. But by cooperating with this project, I was glad that people from overseas were able to think about the horror of the atomic bomb while looking at the lanterns.
Being involved in a world peace event made me realize that there is something I can do, and I wanted to do something to promote peace.
I think it’s amazing that they know about Hiroshima even though it’s so far away from Japan. I hope that we don’t forget the atomic bomb and that the world will become more peaceful.
Up until now I have been giving speeches in favor of peace, but by making the lanterns this time I was able to realize that I am actually working towards peace.
Until now, I had tended to focus on Hiroshima, but after learning that peace activities are being carried out all over the world, I realized that I needed to turn my attention to the world.
Until now, when I thought of “peace,” I thought of it as something we couldn’t achieve by ourselves. But through making lanterns, I learned that sending the things we made to the world can also lead to peace. My image of it has changed to one that there are things we can do to contribute to “peace.”

Q2 What did you think when you saw the video sent to you from Salisbury?

I wanted to show people how people are working together, regardless of borders, to achieve world peace. I would like to express my gratitude to the people who helped with the lantern floating.
I was moved when I saw the lanterns that everyone had made in the video. When I saw Kyoso’s name appear first in the ending credits, I felt glad that I had participated.
The lanterns floating beautifully down the river reminded me of the lanterns floating on the rivers in Hiroshima, and it made me feel sentimental.
I learned that many people in Salisbury are thinking about Hiroshima and peace, gathering, and taking action not only in Japan but in other countries too.
I was really touched by the video of the lanterns made in Hiroshima, Japan being floated down the river in Salisbury, and the feelings of the local people for peace were conveyed and I was filled with warm feeling. I would like to continue to participate in such efforts.
I saw the photos and videos and thought it was amazing how they were being floated. I think that by having events like this, people can learn a lot about Hiroshima and have a

good time to think seriously about peace, a very precious time.

If you would like to see details of the event, please click on this link: Salisbury CND’s Hiroshima Day 2024 Candle Float Video