Presentation in Hosono Elementary School

　　　To find the ways to tell hope and future....　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Peace Journalist Yumiko Kikuno　　　　　　　　　　
　　On March 19th, I was invited as a guest speaker to Hosono Elementary School, where was located in Kobayashi City, Miyazaki, Japan. Masayo Shimono, a homeroom teacher of its one of sixth grade classes, arranged this event, hoping that her students would expand their horizons and move forward to make their dreams come true. I told them about Canada and Vancouver, peace activities that I worked on, and some important things to make a dream come true.



First, I explained basic information about Canada, such as its population, industry, time zone and so on. Then, I introduced Canada and Vancouver with many pictures. I got lots of questions and comments from students: “What kind of animals did you see?” “How’s food?” “Can I use Japanese yen in Canada?” “I could play outside until around 9:00pm in summer in Vancouver, which is nice!”


Second, I told some peace activities that I have been working on as a peace journalist. I told with many pictures that many people came to see the exhibit of A-bomb and Humanity held in Vancouver last summer and that having this event was important to raise awareness of the issues of nuclear weapons overseas. I also showed some pictures to tell about the international conference of banning depleted uranium weapons held last October in New York, which I attended. After that, as I was told that students had just learned about some Japanese who had been working on international activities for people in poor countries like NGO, to that contrary, I reported that many people in other countries had been working on peace activities to support Japanese, too. They were about Vancouver Save Article 9, Article 9 Peace Walk, and Global Article 9 Conference to Abolish War that will be held in Tokyo in May 4th and 5th, 2008. I told children that many people in foreign countries would come to Japan to talk how they could save and spread the Article 9 through the world because they didn’t want wars anymore and wanted to introduce a peace clause like the Article 9 to their countries. Students made their comments: “I didn’t know that there are people in the US and Canada who have been working on activities to eliminate nuclear weapons,” “I want be a pediatrician to save children who have suffered from leukemia or cancer,” “I want to save the Article 9 because I don’t want to see people die due to wars and I think A-bomb survivors would feel more sad and pain if the Article 9 was changed.”


Finally, I told three important things to make dreams come true, telling to myself, too. First, “Do not give up. Believe yourself!” Second, “Do not compare yourself with others. Appreciate every thing you have!” Third, “Talk to yourself. Listen to voice from your heart!” As one of my examples to talk to myself, I told that I sit down under trees and talked to them when I took a walk, so I felt better and got some good ideas. Surprisingly, most children said that they would like to talk to trees when they lost their confidence or their ways to achieve their goals.


I would like to say big thanks to the principal, the vice-principal, Shimono-sensei, and Muranakata-sensei in Hosono Elementary School. I appreciate to be given such a great opportunity. And thank you so much for students who cheered me up and gave me a lot of energy. I will work on finding ways to tell not only hope but also future to create peace in the world, which one of students gave me as homework!