News | World Friendship Center

Experiences of Israel & Palestine (2024.04.20 SAT)

2024-04-05

“Experiences of Israel & Palestine”

As we collectively witness the worsening crisis in Gaza, we seek to understand and come closer to peace. World Friendship Center is pleased to welcome three Hiroshimans with close ties to the people of Israel and Palestine to share their experiences of their lives and relationships with the people there.

Join us to learn, ask questions, and discuss together.

Download flyer >>

Date & Time：April 20 (Sat) 14:00-16:00 (Doors open at 13:30)

Venue：International Student House 2F Hall

*Free Entry

*45名 seats available

*English interpretation available for presentations in Japanese

Posted in News

ICAN Executive Director Melissa Parke’s visit to Hiroshima

2024-01-30

On January 19, the new International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Executive Director Melissa Parke visited Hiroshima for the first time. WFC was among the peace groups welcoming her.

In the evening, we welcomed her by the Motoyasu River and celebrated the 3rd anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), lighting candles which said, “END WARS — JOIN TPNW 2024.”

Melissa gave a message, expressing her gratitude for the Hibakusha’s courageous dedication to abolish nuclear weapons and end war, and reiterating the importance of hearing their voices. She urged Japan to join the TPNW and for everyone to work together “with love” to create peace in the midst of our difficult global situation.

The next day was intensive–on January 20 Melissa gave a keynote speech at the Peace Memorial Museum to a room of approximately 200 people, stating, “There are no right hands for wrong weapons.” During Q&A, she called for youth involvement in antinuclear organizations, and for antinuclear workers to recognize nuclear weapons’ connectedness to various issues, such as climate change, biodiversity, and human rights crises. She called for educational curricula which center those affected by the atomic bomb, rather than the men that created them.

Later in the day, WFC Vice-Chair Junko Hattori, Co-Director Matthew Bateman, and representatives of other peace and antinuclear organizations introduced themselves to Ms. Parke over lunch. In talking Hiroshiman Civil Society strategy toward the end of nuclear weapons, she urged us to share messages which speak from heart, not from the head.

Ms. Parke was given a tour of the Peace Park by young people working for peace, and WFC Chair Shizuo Tachibana introduced her to the Monument for Barbara Reynolds. He shared about not only Barbara but also Dr. Marcel Junod, Norman Cousins, and Floyd Schmoe who came to Hiroshima from abroad and gave a helping hand.

As a partner organization to ICAN, WFC will continue to work for the abolition of nuclear weapons and world peace.

More photos on the WFC Official Facebook page.

Posted in News

WFC Holiday Party 2023 – THANK YOU!

2023-12-18

Thank you to everyone for attending and making our annual Holiday Party so much fun!

Throughout the year, WFC hosts educational events, English classes, monthly activities and opportunities for people from around the world to connect with the history of Hiroshima.

Our annual Holiday Party is a way to relax and celebrate friendships, old and new.

This year’s party had Christmas carols, our WFC Peace Choir, all kinds of music performances, speeches, gifts, cookies, and refreshments made by our community members, games, folding an origami holiday ornament, and even a rakugo performance!

We also loved hearing from our friends who recently traveled as PAX delegates to Washington State and Oregon in the U.S., where they connected with and learned from peacemakers, sharing their experiences as hibakusha and Hiroshimans.

We also highlighted the work of Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT) and collected donations to support their efforts in Palestine.

CPT works in conflict areas around the world, including in Al-Khalil/Hebron in Palestine. There, it acts as a human rights monitor to protect children on their way to school and a partner with local peacemaking initiatives.

You can learn more about CPT’s work at cpt.org.

From all of us at World Friendship Center, Happy Holidays!

Posted in News

“Israel-Palestine Teach-in” with Dr. Masaki Mizobuchi

2023-12-12

November 25, 2023

“Israel-Palestine Teach-in” with Dr. Masaki Mizobuchi

The escalating crisis in Israel and Palestine, especially the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank have shocked the world and our community.

In the process of seeking ways to help cultivate peace in the region as a member of civil society, we felt the need to better learn its historical background.

On 11/25, WFC invited Associate Professor Masaki Mizobuchi of Graduate School at Hiroshima University to give a broad overview of the current situation, its genesis and implications unraveling the contemporary history of Israel and Palestine.

The lecture began with an explanation of what has been happening since October 7, which was of great interest to the audience (in particular, what is Hamas and the relationship between Hamas and the general public), then about the Ottoman Empire that ruled the Israel-Palestine region and World War I that ended the empire and the root of problems that stemmed from it, the war and confusion caused by the founding of Israel, and why peace has still not been achieved to this day.

Dr.Mizobuchi called for us to continue learning and to raise our voices as citizens. This teach-in played a valuable role in helping us place the daily news stories into context, and provided us with the understanding and opportunity to explore this issue further.

One attendee shared that they had been “watching the news,” but attending the teach-in gave them confidence to begin educating themselves more fully on this important matter.

Thank you to all of the people who took the time to learn with us despite the teach-in being planned and announced at the last minute.

Our actions feel so small, but we hope they help light the way toward lasting peace.

Posted in News

International Festa 2023 – THANK YOU!

2023-12-10

Thank you to everyone who came out to the International Festa 2023!

This year was a lot of fun–for the second year, with hard-working volunteers from our WFC community, we sold Sloppy Joes and French Roast coffee at the Yatai on the greenway.

Inside the International Conference Center, we set up an information booth. We met over 70 people!

Two members of PAX, Tamiyuki-san and Soh-san, shared about their recent trip to the US, and our wonderful community members talked with Hiroshimans and foreigners all day.

We believe that bringing together people from different backgrounds to share their food and their experiences is an important step toward cultivating peace. We enjoyed meeting many wonderful people and groups from different cultures in Hiroshima.

Thank you to all who came to visit us and to all who helped us make this happen!

Posted in News

Join Us! WFC Holiday Party 2023

2023-12-01

WFC will hold its annual Holiday Party!

We hope to see you all at the end of the year for a fun time of socializing and fellowship.

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Date: Sunday, December 10, 2023, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Venue: Ryugakusei Kaikan 2nd Floor Hall (Hiroshima City International House)
Fee: Free
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Please see the flyer for details.
English flyer >>
Japanese flyer >>

Everyone is welcome, including family, friends, first-timers, and anyone who want to stop by!
We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Posted in News

Lecture by Ms. Susan Southard

2023-11-25

On October 18, 2023, we welcomed Ms. Susan Southard, author of “Nagasaki: Life After Nuclear War,” to Essor Hiroshima for a lecture. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the many people who attended the lecture, despite it being held in the evening.

The book is a record of Susan’s long and sincere interviews with five Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors) about their experiences of the atomic bombing and their lives themselves. It is also a record of the lives of Hibakusha who worked so hard not to let anyone else experience the same suffering that they have.

Susan talked about her own life and along with thoughts of the many Hibakusha she has met and their photos, she shared not only of their experience of the atomic bombing, but also about who they each were.

Ms. Hisako Uchimura and Ms. Aiko Ohtani, who does readings at the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims, came from Nagasaki and read excerpts from the book.

During Q&A, we were touched by the way Susan and Ms. Yasue Ujigawa, who translated the book into Japanese, carefully addressed and answered each person’s questions.

It was a time to share the importance of learning about Nagasaki in order to foster peace for the children’s future, to remember and pass on the experiences of the hibakusha, and to work together toward nuclear abolition.

We would like to thank everyone who attended, Susan and all the other speakers, and WFC’s fellow organizers: A Group of Legacy Successors and the Hiroshima YWCA. Thank you very much.

Posted in News

International Festa 2023 (11/19)

2023-11-09

WFC will participate again this year in the “International Festa 2023” to be held in and around the International Conference Center. This year, we will have an introduction booth and a food stall!

Date: Sunday, November 19, 10:00 – 16:00
Place: International Conference Hall (B2F “Himawari” & Greenbelt outside of the Conference Center)

No registration require

English flyer >>

We look forward to seeing you!

Posted in News

Join us for WFC’s “August 6 Hiroshima Memorial Event 2023”

2023-07-29

Join us for WFC’s “August 6 Hiroshima Memorial Event 2023”!

Date: Sunday, August 6, 2023, 10:30 am / Saturday, Aug 5 PST: 18:30, EST: 21:30

Fee: Free of charge

Download the flyer for “Memorial Event”>>

Listen to the Hibakusha Testimony of Hiromu Morishita-Sensei with time for Q&A; visit WFC to stay cool in the afternoon; take part in singing, poetry, and conversation at Barbara’s Monument; and observe the lanterns launched at Motoyasu River at the end of the day.

Everyone is welcome to attend the event, so please come and join us.
We look forward to seeing you there!

10:30-12:00
Hibakusha Testimony by Hiromu Morishita-Sensei – hybrid online –
registration here: https://forms.gle/WqQGrC2ctqfCSix29

12:30-16:00
Open House at WFC (8-10 Higashi kannon-machi, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima City)

18:00-19:00
Sharing @ Barbara Reynold’s Monument at Peace Memorial Park

19:00
Lantern Watching at Motoyasu River

Posted in News

2023 Japan-U.S. PAX – application now open!

2023-05-25

WFC has held American PAX (Peace Ambassadors Exchange) online for a couple of years due to the corona virus, but this coming fall, we will have PAX members from Japan visit the U.S. to conduct a face-to-face PAX.

We are now calling for those who wish to participate!

Download the 2023 Japan-US PAX Flyer >>

——–

Capacity: 4
Destination: Washington State
Dates: We are unsure of the exact dates, but it will be up to two weeks in late October.

JOIN US!

Seeking people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and interests
Open to all ages (18+)
Open to all nationalities, including expats (We cannot provide or help with a visa)
English ability preferred but not required
(We plan to select at least one English speaker as an interpreter)
Commitment to cultural exchange and sharing stories of Hiroshima Ability to walk for long periods

Requirements

Participants will be required to attend pre-trip training workshops in late July, August, and September.
Participants will be responsible for their own airfare. (Partial subsidy is available.)

How to Apply & Application Deadline:
To apply for participation, please fill out this application form.
The deadline for applications is Monday, June 12.

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For more information, please download and review the flyer.

If you’d like to learn more about PAX, please take a look at this page for a brief introduction.
We look forward to receiving your application!

Posted in News, PAX