Gentle Hearts

 

    I am going to write what I want to suggest to young people all over the world to create peace.  It is to learn the misery of war. 

You can learn about it by reading books or watching movies.  It is important to learn how miserable war is.  You can feel other people’s pain in doing so.

    To our regret, it is difficult to abolish war completely.  However, if the number of people who understand other people’s pain increases, the number of war will be decreased. 

    Fighting doesn’t make people strong.  Gentle hearts make people strong.  Up to now, people have repeated war.  But if you understand other people’s pain, we should be able to forgive one another.

 

 

 

 

Let’s Vote for Peace

    I think that young people’s positive action to take part in elections and vote will lead to creating peace. 

It is important to think about what kind of society is best for us in this world.  And I think that it is also important to have our own ideas without being puzzled by others’ opinions and ideas.  Moreover, I think that we should take action and express our intention.

I think election is the first step to change our society.  Therefore, participating in elections and voting are actions to create peace.     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paying Attention and Learning History

 

    I thought deeply about “world peace” again before writing this message.

    First, we have to give people around us lots of attention though it seems a natural thing to do.  You might think it is easy, but I think it is difficult.  This is what most people are taught by their parents in their childhood.

    Next, we have to learn about the history of war.  If we learn what war brought to people, we will surely realize that we must never fight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little by Little

 

 

    We must do something to create peace all over the world.  I think the most important thing is for each one of us to hope that the world will become peaceful.  It is likely to be peaceful even little by little when we keep on hoping.

    Secondly, it is also important to abolish discrimination against other race; for example, discrimination between Africans and Caucasians and ones caused by differences of languages. 

    I think that the cooperation of all the countries is necessary to abolish it.  I think that it is important that individual deepen communication with various people.  If we do so, the world will become more and more peaceful even if it’s just a little at a time.

 

 

 

 

 

Consciousness of People

    Do you think that all in the world is peaceful now and was in the old days?  It is wrong if you think so.  War has been breaking out in the world.  War leaves only sorrow.  That’s why we must not wage war. 

Do you expect the world to be peaceful?  You must stop war if you expect this.  But it is not simple to stop war.  You must stop the development and production of nuclear weapons in each country.

It is difficult, but I am convinced that we can create a peaceful world if we can change the consciousness of people in the whole world little by little.  I hope that all of us will create a more peaceful world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Importance of Peace

 

    What do you think about war?  I don’t want people to wage war any more.  Many lives are lost in war.  We must not forget that there was war. 

    In those days, people were frantic to survive.  People couldn’t eat enough food.  Moreover, they could not go to school or study.  It was not a peaceful world like the one we have now.  It was harder to live a long time ago.  We should not take it for granted that we live in peace now.  The past has made what we are presently.  There are many countries which are still at war.  Many people are suffering from war still now.  I hope the world will become peaceful.

    I would like to appreciate the value of free time and keep on living from now on.

 

 

 

 

Working Together for Peace

 

    In order to create peace, people must work together.  We need to learn about war and atomic bombs used long ago.  As for Japan, the atomic bomb in Hiroshima is one well-known tragedy. 

We must create a peaceful world together with everyone in the world.  To do so, young people must hand down knowledge about what happens in war to their descendants.

I think it is important to read books which have themes of peace, and we should go to various places to learn about the past.  I hope we can see and learn about important things and that this knowledge will help us to create our future.  We can tell everyone about what happened long ago.  I believe that we, as young people, can become friends and that our countries will also make their relationships better in the future.

    I would like to introduce “Barefoot Gen,” a comic book series on the theme of the atomic bomb dropped over Hiroshima in 1945.  It describes the actual condition on those days.  Gen, the hero of the story faced various tragedies and told his experience.

    I learned how horrible the situation was after the bomb was dropped by reading this story.  I recommend you to read it.  I hope people all over the world will read this.

    In addition, I recommend “Yamato, a Warship Where Many Men Worked.”

    I think that learning about events in the old days, such as war will lead to creating peace in the future.  We can learn much by reading foreign stories for children which describe war.  That is because we can find differences and similarities in what is told about war.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discrimination

   

    I would like to appeal to people in the world to abolish war.  I think it is very painful to be discriminated because of a handicap or poverty caused by war.  I hear some children are bullied or discriminated for such reasons..

    Recently I watched a TV drama called “I Love You.”  It’s about a mentally handicapped woman who gave birth to and takes care of her child.  Watching this drama, I was struck to see her crying.  She couldn’t accept the fact that it was hard to give birth to a child because of her disability.  Other people around her did not allow her to have a baby.  I felt my heart ache.  No matter what handicap people have, we should not discriminate them. 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's Stop Leaving Suffering People Alone

 

    Have you ever thought about peace?  Peace has many meanings.  One meaning is the act of donation.

    The first step leading to peace is to abolish war.  However, the condition without any war doesn’t necessarily mean there is peace.  When we learn about war, we feel the need for peace strongly.  So you should help people who live in areas affected by war or suffering from poverty around the world.

    Many people can be helped if many people make just a little donation.  Let’s stop leaving suffering people alone.  Trying to raise money can become a power to help them.  Let us create an environment in which we can laugh in the world forever.

 

 

 

 

 

  Two Actions for Peace

 

    There are two actions I think are necessary for peace.  The first one is to think about others.  If we think only about our gains, we can’t stop either war or confrontation.  I think if we insist arrogantly that only we are correct, we will make enemies.

    The second action is to accept one another.  People’s races, religions, and thoughts are different.  I think discriminating against others is wrong because we are all the same human beings.  We should improve the ability to support others by communicating with various people and learning about cultures.

    I think that the world will become more peaceful and understanding by practicing the two actions mentioned above.  I think that it is in our power to abolish war in the world.

 

 

 

Our Heart Can Create Peace

 

    What is the difference between you and me?  We are always eager to find differences.  Do we fight because of the differences?  I thought about what we can do for peace.

    Firstly, I think that we should make our hearts peaceful.  So we should have healthy lives by keeping a regular schedule.  We should have inner peace.

    Secondly, let’s make sure what feelings others’ have.  For example, we should communicate with many people.  Then we will be able to find differences.  Young people should learn more about one another. 

    Let’s try to do common everyday things extraordinarily.  We create the future.

 

 

 

 

Desire to Make the World Peaceful

 

    I think we need to learn more about war and the feelings of people who suffered a great deal from damages.  And I think it is important to feel strongly that we must not wage war again.  It is also necessary for everybody to have gentle hearts in order to consider others.  Then they cannot kill other people.

    Since there are many people who cannot live even though they would like to live, I don’t want people to give up their lives easily. 

    In addition, everybody in the world needs to cooperate to solve environmental problems like global warming.  I think that everybody should have the desire to make the world peaceful.  We can make peace if everybody thinks that we can make progress.

This book “Word of Star” is not a book on war.  However, there are a lot of things that can be learnt.  

There is a phrase “One unknown world is lost with one man’s death.”  When I saw this word, I became very sad.  Many lives were lost in war. And their unknown worlds disappeared.  When I thought about that, I became sad.  I cannot imagine that their lives are destroyed in a moment though they had a dream and freedom.  War changes lives.  War not only injures people but also deprives of their dreams.

I am against war.  I cannot permit if there is a person who agrees now.  I hope that everyone lives freely with dreams.

                   What I Thought about a Book about War and My Suggestion for Peace

　In the Japanese Constitution, the ninth article is a wonderful thing and we can have pride in the world because of it.  And Japan must carry out posture for peace to the end.

  The Japanese Self-Defense Force is to defend our country from harm. So I think it’s wrong to dispatch them abroad.

  I think Japan can make contributions to international society by sending 10 technicians abroad rather than sending 100 soldiers who have weapons.

 

I had thought of people who were involved in war and killed as victims.  However, I read these books and realized I was wrong.  Because the soldiers were hurt in the same way as civilians suffered.  I thought that it was not ordinary peoples but countries that decided to wage war.　But it was not the people who decided but people and soldiers that fought, killed, or were killed.

 

～What should we do to make the world peaceful ?～

To watch, listen to, and think about various things.  I think we can learn about the world by engaging in it and we will be able to accept other cultures.  I think that it is important to distinguish right things and wrong things by ourselves.  We may be able to stop war if we do so.

Do you know a Japanese whose name was Chiune Sugihara?  He worked in a Japanese embassy in Poland during the World WarⅡ. While it was objected by the Japanese government, he issued visas to Jewish people who were going to run away to the foreign countries.

 It is said that he helped about 6,000 people in this war. I think that the reason why such an action was possible is that he distinguished what is right properly.  Therefore, I think that it is the most important thing to make peace.

　I read Garry Porsen’s book, “A Boy Left for a Battle Field” I thought it was a cruel story at first.

A person named Charlie Godard really exists.  Probably because it’s a true story, I felt very sad.

  Reading this book, I thought there is no meaning in war.  I think when mankind disappears, the day when there will be no war will finally come.

To abolish war, we should change grown-ups’ way of thinking.  They should learn more deeply that their greed killed many innocent people, including children like us.  If they really look at the terrible scenes in war, they will feel war is silly.  If they don’t feel so, they can’t be considered as human beings.

 

I think the best way to eliminate war is eliminating the need for war.

I think that maybe because we can’t eliminate it, war continues.

People who think of waging war have some reasons.

I think by solving the problems which can be the reasons, the world will be peaceful.

 

Lives are changed in war, though people in Iraq only live their usual lives.  What do people feel?  I think that they probably feel fear most.  And war deprives people of many dreams. 

   

   

1  What I thought about a book about war   

I read a book written by Yoko Fukawa, “I Want to Tell Everyone about That War.”  Real experiences

are written in this book by the writer who experienced war.  It was the most surprising that the whole school of her the elementary school was considered as a battalion.

The book said they marched and reported what they did as the armed forces did.  Even the children

seemed to be going to the war with adults, too.  I became very sad.  I felt very angry to learn that adults made children do such a thing.  In addition, the children were made to have training to put up with cold weather.  Of course not only the boys but also the girls had to have such trainings.  Why what adults began influenced children in this way?  I do not understand what Japanese thought then.

However, as for now, when I have peace, I am very happy.  I can eat delicious meals.  I can learn a

lot of things in my school, too.  I feel that we are in the comfortable environment.

I want to pray for peace forever even if other countries try to provoke conflicts militarily.  And I hope

that the day will come when war disappears from all over the world.

　　

2      To make the world more peaceful    

I think that we must reform the present education.  I hope that all the countries will decide never to

fight like Japan wrote in its constitution.  We, young Japanese, grew up, taking it for granted that we do not fight in war so far. 

How about the countries fighting now?  The children born in such countries probably think that it is a matter of course to fight in war.  I think that the children need education about peace.

　At first, the countries should make it obligatory for parents to let their children go to school.　And I would like to dispatch teachers from the nations which don’t fight in war.　I hope they will convey splendor of peace.　I would like them to give many children opportunities to think about peace.　I hope the children will appeal to adults and their descendants about the importance of peace.　I hope the children experienced war and learned peace will make strong suggestions.

 　That’s why I think that at first it is necessary to change education.

  

This book is written by Toshiharu Yamamoto, who is a doctor and a photographer.  He saw a child eating a dirty watermelon with many flies all over it when he was traveling in Africa with his father at the age of 12.  Since then, he began visiting the Afghan refugee camps and more than 40 countries in Africa and Asia. He took pictures of people there.  Afghanistan reminds me of an image of, “A country in War”.  I also remember people living in old houses in unsanitary environment, without enough food to eat. People are worried about their lives.

However, Afghanistan means “Land of Afghans”. In Persian, it means “a lively and active country”.

It the old days, the country was called “The country of light” and it was a prosperous country.

Why do we think of the country as “The country of war” now?  It’s all because of the conflict of other countries which try to get resources.  They want natural resources of this country, and they are making weapons to kill people.  We also remember that the United States bombed Afghanistan because of 9.11 terrorists’ attacks. B I felt sad to read this book.  Killing the same human beings just because of greed is the worst things to do.

We can participate in fundraising and volunteers.  I hope such activities to support children will give happiness to children around the would.

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On August 6, I turned on the radio and listened to the oath of peace in the Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima.  Each word in the oath the elementary school students spoke had very deep meaning.

Previously, I have heard my grandfather talk about war.  I saw many pictures of that time.  The pictures showed scenes that many people went to war.  Among them, were children of similar age.  I was sad to see it.  And I thought we are happy, because there is no war in the country where we live.  But Japan also suffered from war. 

We must not repeat the same mistake.  No more Hiroshima, no more Nagasaki.  I sincerely thought so.

What we can do for peace is to learn about horrors of war, and tell people about them.  I hope all of the world will be peaceful.

  　

I read the book "Cambodian Children Living in Mine Field    Weapons of the Devil.".

　In Cambodia, 4 million to 6 million landmines are buried, but only 75,000 landmines were removed between 1992 and 1997.  It took six years but only 75,000 could be removed.　They are unable to have a free life, but I do think this is horrendous.　I would definitely feel as if I were not alive.

　But Cambodian children are smiling in the picture.　I am fortunate enough, but worry about small things.  I became very much ashamed of myself.

　This book taught me the importance and beauty of life.

　No matter how sincerely the survivors of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki appeal the importance of peace, there are countries fighting in war still now.　I felt angry and disgusted with the stupidity of human beings trying to depend on force to solve conflicts somehow.

   

The Peace Message

　I read a book named “ANOTHER SIDE OF SUDAN.”This book tells us about Dr. Kawahara and an international NGO’s activity.  Isn’t it important that we should learn about the present state of African countries and that people should support local people by cooperating with one another with consideration for others？ As a fellow Japanese, I am proud of Dr. Kawahara’s volunteer medical service in the crises of humanity.

  What can we do for peace？ I do not think that we need special things.  Many people should consider and support many people to solve the problem of poverty like Dr. Kawahara.  It is of course very important.  Still, we can do something from where we are to hold out a helping hand to many wounded and sick people.

To accept and respect one another is a step for peace.  I think that consideration will make peace. Various people live on the earth.  Breaking down the wall of hatred and discrimination and respecting one another’s existence will make peace.  We have different countries, races, faiths, cultures, colors of skin…  There are a lot of differences.

It is all right to start from small things.  For example, to join a charity, to be kind to your family, to consider your friends’ feelings and to cooperate with people working for fundraising.  I think that beginning with what you can do now is O.K.

I think consideration for others can change the world if we have strong hope and belief.  Why don’t you think about what you can do for smiles all over the world.

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I think that I learned the misery of war well.  But I think people today are forgetting the importance of peace.  However, I think the Japanese should never forget it as the only nation which suffered from atomic bombings. 

There are countries that still fight in war in the world now.  A lot of innocent people are suffering and are sacrificed in war.  We, Japanese and other peoples in developed countries became rich and we have enough food.  However, people in poor countries don’t know whether they will have food tomorrow.  I thought that we should express our gratitude for our rich lives, thinking about what we can do for poor countries.

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200,000 people were killed in the civil war of 3 and a half years in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Though a peace treaty was made in 1995, and the war ended, it is said that land mines were buried all over the country during the civil war and that from 750,000 to as many as one million pieces of them still remain. It is said that it will take ten years or more to remove all of them.

Children who live in Bosnia and Herzegovina should attend classes about land mine evasion, and see many kinds of land mines that are displayed in a case in the land mine education center.

There are people who don’t know anything about such people who live on dangerous land where their families’, friends’, and their own lives aren’t protected.  There might be people who live peacefully though they laid mines which deprived a lot of people of their lives.  I think that we should learn about not only our surroundings but also current states of many parts of the world.

I think that we should learn about the current state of war, remove hatred and other negative feelings, and accept the other people before losing any more innocent people’s lives.  I think that we should sympathize with people and keep making an effort to understand them with patience.  And I think not only “thinking” but also “taking action” is very important to change the real world.

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I read a story of the war in Hiroshima.  There were also pictures in the book and I looked at them. The suffering and pain of the war reached my heart very deeply.  Though I had known that the war was terrible, I was able to learn about the cruelty of the war again.

I thought the damage that the war caused was very horrible.  I really became scared when I imagined everything being destroyed in an instant.  I thought it must have been very hard for people to leave others who were crushed under parts of their houses and still alive.

I felt very sad to see people dipping their faces into water and died.  I thought they wanted to live to the very end.  They must have had terrible agony when they were dying.  I could not look at the dead figures soaked their faces in water for a long time.

I felt resentment, thinking why so many young children had to lose their lives.  Their skins were tattered, muscles were burnt, and bones were exposed.  A whole body was burnt black and I thought that the scenes were really depressing.  I could not tell weather it was a man or a woman.

When I thought they had become desperate to live even when they were injured so terribly, my heart ached.  When I saw a mother who was carrying her baby and died standing, her love for the child as a mother was impressive.

I cannot understand why innocent people suffered so much and were killed.  Everyone must have been asking for help, trying to survive till the end.  I feel pain in my heart just by imagining it.  I didn’t experience it actually, but just by reading about the experience, the pain reached my heart, so I thought the people who were under the explosion of the atomic bombs must have had terrible distress.  It must have been too hard to describe with words.

                   　

　　I learned about war in classes, and noticed the importance of peace.　I think that peace should continue through all eternity.　We live in peaceful Japan and have almost nothing to do with war.　  Therefore，we don’t have a fear of war and we tend to become indifferent about war.　I feel sorry for this state.   

　　However, in Japan we hear the sirens on August 6 and August 9 every year to pray for the souls of

the victims of atomic bombs as the only nation which suffered from atomic bombings.  We must not

forget this as Japanese.

　　Still now a lot of people are killed in war and more people are suffering from diseases and injuries.

I think that people all over the world should understand this current state.

　　However, we can not abolish war at once even if we all learn that war is cruel and sad.  It is necessary to solve problems among countries through discussions.　I do not think the problems can be solved even if we kill one another.

　　War might continue.　Still peace is sure to come sometime if each one of us has the feeling:

I know nothing about war.  Japan is very peaceful.  Japan does not have war anymore.  I do not know the time when we had war.  I did not know the present war of the world.  I think that being murdered by a human being is the most fearful.  The children of the country where war is taking place cannot play freely with such fear.

Children don't think of children in other countries as bad children.  I think that only adults think people in some countries are enemies.

I think that it is absolutely better to get along well together than to fight in war.  I pray for making the world where we can coexist without discrimination for children.  To realize such world, everybody must cooperate.  I think that it is important that everybody cooperates to get rid of war.  We can make war stop and make the world peaceful for sure if everybody appeals for peace.  The person who does not want to fight in war should persuade people who want to.  I think that many people think of war to be bad at the bottom of their heart.

I don’t think that there is a good war in this world.  War is the same as murder.   I think that we should take action against war around the world because the person who murdered someone is arrested and compensate for the crime.  War may decrease.  And the number of dying people may decrease.

In the world, there may be some people causing war for them.  It is mere selfishness.  However, I think that everybody must have happiness.  And I want you to have it.  I think that the happiness gotten by depriving other people of their lives has no worth.

Let's cooperate together.  Let's help each other.  The way will be surely found.

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On August 6, 1945. An atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima….

Hiroshima became sea of flames, and became burnt ruins. A lot of corpses that became jet-black and people whose skins were burnt and sore ･･･ 200,000 victims or more.  It is necessary to pass on the word "War" to a lot of people from now on though it is necessary to abolish "War" itself.

We live in "the same the world", and are one family though there are a lot of countries.  If each person of every part of the world learns how painful of war is, the world is likely to become the peaceful world without war.

　　

When reading news articles and books which said the atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima and　Nagasaki, I thought war was very vain for the first time.

About 200,000 people were killed by the end of 1945 in Hiroshima and a lot of people　in　Nagasaki, and a large number of people were injured.  I thought that there must not be this kind of things.

　

I was born in an age without war. Therefore, I don’t know much about war.  ThoughＩthought that it

wasａthing of the past…. Ｉwas shocked

I learned many people are suffering from the damage from war still now and they are in distress. Moreover, though there were such things, there are countries that wage war still now.

I think war is the worst thing human beings should not do.  Only several people have a good time in war.　Only several…  These people think that if only they can have a good time, it is ok.  I think that they are the worst inhumane people.  As a result, a lot of adults and children who have nothing to do with war are sacrificed. 

 

War is miserable.  Innocent people were killed.  Tens of thousands of people were killed in war.  A lot of people were killed in war in Japan.  There are a lot of people who did not die in war but are still in distress because of the radioactivity though over 60 years passed after the war.  I understood how miserable war is when I heard the people's stories.  And I learned how fearful nuclear weapons are.

Everyone might be praying for peace.  I am also longing for peace.  However, will peace really come if we abolish war?

What is peace?

True peace will come if we abolish war, military forces, and weapons.  However, is such a state really possible?　I don’t think that it is possible.  I think peace can be kept because there are nuclear weapons because countries have military power.  I think that the military power is a deterrent against war.

Is peace made by military power true peace?　I do not know.

I wish war all over the world will be abandoned by all countries and they will give up military power, and then true peace will be realized.  I will keep on wishing even if it takes tens of years to realize it;

 

War is for nothing.