International Festa 2023 – THANK YOU!

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!

Join Us! WFC Holiday Party 2023

Holiday Party 2023WFC 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!

Lecture by Ms. Susan Southard

Susan SouthardOn 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.

International Festa 2023 (11/19)

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!

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

EN August 6 Memorial EventJoin 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

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

(EN) WFC-US PAX finalWFC 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!
 


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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!

WFC “2023 Friends Day” on June 17th

Friends Day flyerWFC “Friends Day” will be held again this year!

Date: Saturday, June 17, 2023, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Venue: Hiroshima City International Student House, 2F
(1-1 Nishiaragami-cho, Minami-ku, Hiroshima City)

Description: Let’s foster friendship and spread peace through fun games and conversation!

Fee: Free of charge

Download the flyer for “Friends Day”>>

Everyone is welcome to attend the event, so please come and join us.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Spring 2023 US – Japan PAX

Spring 2023 US – Japan PAX

Feb 13 – 16 US / Feb 14 – 17 Japan
Program is delivered in English

 

WFC’s Peace Ambassador Exchange (PAX) is an annual sharing of ideas and materials related to peace, reconciliation, and nuclear issues, built on hearing the first-hand accounts of those whose lives have been impacted by war and the tragedies of atomic bombings. 

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Join us on any of these days to hear the stories of peace!

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Spring 2023 US-Japan PAX Program

 

West Coast Day 1
Feb 13 @ 6-8pm PST / Feb14 @ 11am JPN

  • “I will never forget that day” by Kiyomi Kohno

West Coast Day 2
Feb14 @ 6-8pm PST / Feb15 @ 11am JPN

  • “Reflections on Serving Those ARound uS” by Don Watson
  • “Opposing Nuclear Weapons in Washington State” by Dr. Joe Berkson & Sean Arent

East Coast Day 1
Feb 15 @ 7-9pm EST / Feb16 @ 9am JPN

  • “Lessons from my Father” by Tamiyuki Okahara

East Coast Day 2
Feb16 @ 7-9pm EST / Feb17 @ 9am JPN

  • “Transforming Conflict” by Rick Polhamus
  • “Hiroshima, Miyoshi, Atlanta and Americus brought together by a Bell Tower” by Steve Leeper

*The program will include time for Q&A and breakout discussions.

WFC Holiday Party 2022

2022.12_Holiday PartyThank you to everyone who came to the WFC Holiday Party!
 
We learned about Holiday traditions from cultures around the world, then representatives of each class and Peace Program had time to share! There was music, dancing, games, and even a very goofy skit!
 
Thanks to everyone who came out, and Happy Holidays from all of us at WFC!
 

Last Day of 1st Guide Training Session

2022.12_Guide Training2022.12.3
 
Today was the last day of the eight-series guide training.
The first session began on July 2, and participants learned detailed explanations of the main monuments in the Peace Memorial Park and enjoyed a mini-English conversation class led by the Directors. Today, on the last day, the participants practiced reading from scripts in front of the three monuments in turn and received guidance from the Directors.
 
After that, we had a social gathering with delicious coffee made by Malachi (Director), and cookies made by Ms. Taguchi(Board member).
Certificates of completion was given out to each participant. We are very happy to announce that there was one participant who attended all 8 sessions ❗️
 
The guide training was a new initiative for us at WFC. It was a great opportunity for us to meet all the participants. Thank you very much.
 
We are planning to have two sessions in January and February next year to deepen our understanding of the Japanese text, so we hope you will join us.