The Thousand Crane Project

There is a Japanese saying that one who folds a thousand paper cranes will be granted a wish. This was the goal of a little girl, Sadako Sasaki, who lived in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped over that city in August of 1945. Sadako developed leukemia after being exposed to the radiation from the bomb, and while she was hospitalized, she started to fold a thousand paper cranes so that her simple wish to live would be granted. Unfortunately, she folded only 644 cranes before she became too weak to do anymore, and she died shortly thereafter. Her friends and family finished folding the cranes in her honor, and they also erected a statue of her holding a paper crane, which stands in the International Peace Park in Hiroshima.

Now, today, we hope to fold a thousand paper cranes in tribute to the people of Japan, both the victims and the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami that struck northern Honshu Island on March 11, 2011. Relief funds are still needed, as are our best wishes for the recovery of Japan.

We urge you to go to Carlsen Center Room 128 in the Japanese Cultural Village today, and for a donation of $1.00, you will be taught to fold a paper crane. Then take the crane to The Thousand Crane Project exhibit (to the left of the doors of Polsky Theatre, in the Carlsen Center Lobby) to have your crane added to those that are already on the trees.

All the money that is collected for the chance to fold a crane, as well as the cranes themselves, will be taken to Japan, to the people of Tohoku (the area of Honshu island that was most devastated by the tsunami). Help us as we pay tribute to the strength and resilience of the Japanese people.

“Let’s do our best, Tohoku! Let’s do our best, Japan!”