Yerevan, 20 July 2016 – Today the UN Armenia hosted an exhibition of origami collection, peace lanterns and cranes commemorating the 71st Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and afterwards in Nagasaki. The event was organized jointly with “Hikari” Armenian-Japanese Scientific, Educational and Cultural Center. The exhibits were the handwork of Armenian children who attend the “Hikari” Center affiliated with the National Center of Aesthetics in Yerevan.
In his speech Bradley Busetto, UN Resident Coordinator, welcomed the organizers, the audience and the children craftmen of the event, saying: “Today we are provided with an opportunity to pay our tribute to the tens of thousands of victims who died on August 6 and 9 of 1945 in Japan. We also extend our respect to the survivors who have suffered severe adversity in the aftermath.”
H.E. Mr. Eiji Taguchi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan in Armenia thanked the UN Armenia Office for hosting this beautiful event and said that the United Nations has always stood with the Japanese people who are resolved to realize their vision of a nuclear-weapon-free world.
In her turn the President of “Hikari” Center Ms. Karine Piliposyan addressed the audience with words of gratitude to the UN Office for hosting this event for the third time. Continuing, she said: “Hikari” Center has been implementing this “Peace Lanterns” project since 2005. It has been 12 years already that numerous colorful illustrated lanterns crafted by Armenian children “travel” to Japan to join the August 6 event taking place every year in Hiroshima. And every year “Hikari” Center holds this farewell event highlighting the efforts and participation of the Armenian children and their noble aspirations for the maintenance of world peace”.
In his speech, H.E. Mr. Hrant Poghosyan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia in Japan, expressed his deep appreciation of this initiative and the hard work carried out by “Hikari” Center. He said it would be a great honour for himto take these beautiful lanterns to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony in Japan.
Every year August 6 is observed in Japan with a solemn ceremony to mark the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. UN Armenia Office has already in several years joined this commemorative event on a local level marking it as a Peace Memorial Day in tribute to the victims of the tragic catastrophe.
