As we commemorate the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, APLN is proud to once again participate in the #CranesForOurFuture campaign to advocate for a future free from nuclear threats.

#CranesForOurFuture is an annual campaign led by the Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace (HOPe), the prefectures of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI). It embodies international cooperation and honors those who perished in the bombings in Japan. With more than three-quarters of a century having passed since the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world has avoided nuclear bombings for 79 years, thanks to diligence, diplomacy, grace, and a bit of luck. Now, as we lose the generation that remembers the bombings, we face new modern threats related to terrorism, cyberattacks, artificial intelligence, and a deteriorating arms-control architecture. Experts have set the Doomsday Clock to 90 seconds to midnight, the closest setting ever to apocalypse. The world is facing the most serious global risk since the end of World War II.

The paper crane, inspired by Sadako Sasaki’s story, represents hope and the desire for a peaceful future. Sadako Sasaki was only two years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, resulting in the deaths of up to 140,000 people. She survived the initial blast along with her family but faced years of health issues and poverty due to radiation exposure. At twelve, Sadako was diagnosed with leukemia. While in the hospital, she learned of a Japanese legend that promised a long life to those who folded 1,000 paper cranes. Sadako folded cranes, hoping to survive, but sadly, she passed away in 1955. Her legacy of hope lives on through the Children’s Peace Monument in Hiroshima, which stands as a testament to her and all child victims of nuclear warfare.

Join us in honouring Sadako and all those who have died or suffered from the production, testing, and use of nuclear weapons by folding and sharing paper cranes on social media with the hashtag #CranesForOurFuture. Together, we can advocate for a nuclear-free world and encourage our leaders to turn their commitments into reality.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to participate:

Step 1. Use any square sheet of paper. You can download APLN’s origami paper templates here.

Step 2. Fold your crane. Not sure how to fold a paper crane? You can find a step-by-step video guide here.

Step 3. Take a photo of your crane. Take a close-up of the crane in good lighting, have someone take a photo of you holding your crane in your palm, or take a photo with friends and family.

Step 4. Write a message about why we must move closer to, not further from, a world without nuclear weapons. It could be as simple as a single word or phrase.

Step 5. Post your picture and your vision for a world without nuclear weapons to social media between August 6 and 9. When posting, remember to connect your post to everyone else’s by using the hashtag #CranesForOurFuture.

To learn more about the movement, go to CranesForOurFuture.org.