Belfast Lord Mayor launches ‘One Thousand Paper Cranes’ Project

Belfast Lord Mayor Cllr Daniel Baker has launched the ‘One Thousand Paper Cranes’ project at Ulster University, Belfast.

The project, developed by the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building in partnership with Ulster University and Craic NI, celebrates diversity, culture of peace and links between Northern Ireland and Japan.

Thanks to the support from the Community Relations Council, several community arts workshops will be hosted across Northern Ireland to make 1000 origami paper cranes with messages of lasting peace.

Eva Grosman, CEO, Centre for Democracy and Peace Building said:

“There is an old Japanese belief that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will see their wish come true. Our wish is a hate free Northern Ireland and a hate free world.”

“Approximately 10 million cranes from all across the globe are offered each year before the Children’s Peace Monument in Hiroshima.”

“This year, as we mark the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima we will also present 1000 origami cranes from Northern Ireland.”

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Daniel Baker said:

“I’m delighted to support Ulster University and the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building in their One Thousand Paper Cranes initiative. A symbol of hope and longevity, the crane is an international symbol of peace and we’re all here to symbolise our shared wish for a hate free country and a hate free world.

“As we poignantly mark the 75th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing this year, we also remember the great friendship this land shares with Japan. Belfast is a member of the ‘Mayors for Peace’ initiative set up in 1982 by the Mayor of Hiroshima and we continue to celebrate our mutual desire for a peaceful society.”

Professor Duncan Morrow, Director of Community Engagement at Ulster University added:

“We are thrilled to host the launch of the One Thousand Paper Cranes project on our Belfast campus. Ulster University is recognised as a global leader in peace and reconciliation research and this creative project will bring communities together for a common purpose and facilitate important discussions on diversity, peace and reconciliation.”

“As part of the project, our Visiting Professor in Immersive Futures and diversity and inclusion specialist Deepa Mann-Kler will create an artistic intervention using Augmented Reality to explore peace building in digital and physical spaces of Belfast and Hiroshima.”

Next month the project will be launched in Japan House London to celebrate cultural and business links between Japan and Northern Ireland.