One Thousand Paper Cranes launches online resources

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‘One Thousand Paper Cranes’ launched its online toolkit, including a video message of peace and hope from young people in Hiroshima, story of Sadako Sasaki and instructions on how to fold the origami crane.

The project developed by the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building, supported by the Community Relations Council and endorsed by Japan House London celebrates the culture of peace and links between Northern Ireland and Japan.

The aim of the project is to make 1000 origami paper cranes with messages of lasting peace. The cranes will be offered at the Children’s Peace Monument in Hiroshima to mark the 75th anniversary of the bombing later this year.

In addition, as part of the project, Visiting Professor in Immersive Futures and diversity and inclusion specialist Deepa Mann-Kler with team from Ulster University will create Tsuru – an artistic intervention using Augmented Reality to explore peace building in digital and physical spaces of Belfast and Hiroshima.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP, Chairman, Centre for Democracy and Peace Building said:

“We are delighted to be launching this project which is aimed at strengthening relations between Northern Ireland and Japan through the sharing of our respective experiences in peace building.

Drawing our inspiration from the work of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, we will be particularly encouraging young people to value the peace process and to engage in collective learning as we work towards reconciliation in our troubled and divided land.

An added benefit of the project is the study of peace through cultural exchange and exploring the richness of our cultural diversity as well as all that we have in common through our shared humanity.”

Michael Houlihan, Director General, Japan House London said:

“Japan House London is privileged to be associated with such an inspiring initiative. Culture can sometimes be the simple expression of how different societies find very different solutions to the same challenges of everyday life and living.

Sharing and understanding the experiences of others can teach us much about ourselves, and offer answers as to how we can build a more peaceful world. It is part of Japan House London’s mission to be a cultural bridge bringing the United Kingdom and Japan together.”

Watch video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4sHJ2EWbCg

Online Resources are HERE.

TEDxStormont: TED Circles April 2020

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In April, TEDxStormont will host a special online TED Circles programme themed around COVID 19, changing world and your well-being. The ZOOM webinars will take place each Monday afternoon at 4pm (BST) and will be co-hosted by Lord Alderdice and special guests. Please join in to learn, share your perspective and connect with new ideas.

TED Circles is an open platform for meaningful conversations about ideas. Imagine a book club for TED Talks! A new TED initiative, at TED Circles you will meet others who are inspired by TED and interested in joining small discussions, facilitated by our volunteer hosts, on a variety of relevant and timely topics.

Register at: https://us04web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEvcO6opjorP38HmqMPp9TyVSODLzeOnw

Programme

• Monday, 6 April
Emotional first aid with special guests Professor Siobhan O’Neill and Peter McBride

Watch Guy Winch: Why we all need to practice emotional first aid HERE.

• Monday, 13 April
The art of stillness with special guest Fr Mark Patrick Hederman OSB and Bridgeen Rea-Kaya

Watch Pico Iyer: The art of stillness HERE.

• Monday, 20 April
Compassion with special guest Padraig O’Tuama and Sr Judith Leckie

Watch Krista Tippett: Reconnecting with compassion HERE.

• Monday, 27 April
Gratefulness with special guest Karen Sethuraman and Rev Dr John Dunlop

Watch David Steindl-Rast: Want to be happy? Be grateful HERE.

 

CO-HOST Professor, the Lord Alderdice FRCPsych

Professor, the Lord Alderdice FRCPsych is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords and was the Chairman of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords during the Liberal/Conservative Coalition Government. Previously a consultant psychiatrist at the Centre for Psychotherapy he established in Belfast, Lord Alderdice is currently a Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict at Harris Manchester College (University of Oxford). He is also a Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at the University of Maryland (Baltimore) and Chairman Emeritus of the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building (Belfast).