[August 11 (Tuesday, holiday) event] Peace Gathering - A talk by atomic bomb survivors. As conflicts are increasing around the world, let's take a moment to think about peace again.

In Japan, every August, many events related to war and peace are held in connection with the atomic bombings and the end of the war.

The author, who is currently 46 years old, is also from a generation that does not know war. As the generation that experienced the war ages, opportunities to hear their voices are decreasing.

In such a context, an event called "Peace Gathering" will be held on August 11, 2026 (Tuesday, holiday), where valuable testimonies from atomic bomb survivors will be shared.

About the "Peace Gathering"

The "Peace Gathering" is an event aimed at reflecting on the horrors of war and the value of peace, to be held on August 11, 2026 (Tuesday, holiday) at Life Park Kurashiki.

• Talks by atomic bomb survivors
• Screening of the Disney 100th anniversary film "Wish"
• Magic show

In addition to the above events, there will also be materials to learn about the history of war and an exhibition of a life-size model of the atomic bomb "Little Boy" dropped on Hiroshima.

Interview with the Kurashiki City General Affairs Division staff

We spoke with Machi Tanigawa and Megumi Iwamoto from the General Affairs Division of Kurashiki City, who are organizing the "Peace Gathering."

This is an event that is held every year, but could you tell us the background of how the "Peace Gathering" was planned?

Tanigawa (no honorifics)

Eighty-one years have passed since the end of the war, and the number of storytellers who know about that time is decreasing year by year. Moreover, the awareness of war among children is gradually fading.

In this context, we hope that through the experience of hearing live voices, people will understand "how difficult war was" and "how important it is to maintain the peace that we now take for granted."

Kurashiki City also strongly feels the importance of peace promotion projects and aims to provide more people with opportunities to think about war and peace.

What are the highlights and features of this event, and what kind of people would you like to participate?

Iwamoto (no honorifics)

The highlight is a talk by a member of the Okayama Prefecture Atomic Bomb Survivors Association Kurashiki Branch, which is affiliated with the Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, who will receive the Nobel Prize in 2024.

You will hear directly from someone who was actually exposed to the bomb in Hiroshima about the horrors of war and the value of peace. This is a very valuable opportunity to hear "live voices" that cannot be understood through textbooks, so we hope that families will participate together and deepen discussions at home to consider the importance of peace.

In addition to the heavy theme, there will also be a magic show with messages connected to peace and a film screening.

Furthermore, 57 elementary and middle school students participated in the city peace project "Anne Frank's Journey" and recently visited the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. As a result of their learning, there will also be a panel exhibition considering "what we can do," so please take a look and feel the children's thoughts.

Holocaust Memorial Museum - A place to convey the wish for peace to children from negative history – Bingo Tocotoco

Since its opening in 1995, the Holocaust Memorial Museum has focused on peace education for children. The exhibition features valuable items donated by Holocaust survivors, highlighting the history of sorrow and peace...

Bingo Tocotoco

Please share a message for the readers.

Tanigawa

When people hear "war," they often have a scary image or feel hesitant to attend related events.

However, this event is not just about showing "fear." There are many ideas packed into it that allow you to think about peace while having fun, such as movies and magic shows.

So rather than feeling "scared," we would be happy if you could come to the venue with a sense of "looking forward to it."

Iwamoto

This event helps children from the generation that does not know war to think about how important peace is and how to convey it through the stories of survivors and films.

It will be a valuable opportunity to create summer memories while learning about the importance of a peaceful society. Please join us on August 11.

Conclusion

When I was a child, there were many television programs in August that made you think about war, and to put it bluntly, there were "opportunities to see it whether you liked it or not."

However, in modern times, with the development of information and communication technology, it has become easy to access preferred information, and I imagine that opportunities to see it have decreased unless one takes active steps. On the other hand, the situation in recent years is that wars are not decreasing but rather increasing outside of Japan.

Japan's peace is not a given.

As the number of storytellers decreases, I feel that the significance of events that consider peace is actually increasing.

On August 11, why not visit Life Park Kurashiki and think about war and peace?

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