Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Image from The Elders
Image from The Elders
Clare Kelly
by Clare Kelly
7 August 2020

In a gesture intended to encourage people to pause and recognise the scale of the nuclear tragedy, The Elders invite you to join them in sharing a message of hope, alongside an image of a specially crafted origami peace crane.

How to make your own origami crane: take part in #PeaceCrane2020

The origami peace crane has long been associated with the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who died from leukemia caused by the radioactive fallout of the Hiroshima bombing. The act of folding a crane started by Sadako and her classmates turned into a national, then an international, children's peace movement. The Children’s Peace Monument now stands in Sadako’s honour in the center of Hiroshima Peace Park, close to the spot where the atomic bomb was dropped.

“The 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing should give the entire world pause for thought. We must all recognise the horrendous human cost of this tragic event and renew our commitment to never letting it happen again. I urge everyone to join the Elders and others in this moment of reflection and solidarity: remember the strength of Sadako Sasaki and be inspired by her determination to never give up hope for a better world,” said Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders.

Virgin Unite and Richard Branson are honoured to have helped catalyse and support The Elders since their inception. We share their belief that the unravelling of nuclear arms controls and the escalation of nuclear proliferation is a global existential threat.

As we mark this anniversary we all need to continue to call on nuclear states to reduce their arsenals, extend existing controls, and invest in a robust global arms control architecture. 


Virgin Unite, with the support of a great group of partners, had the privilege of incubating The Elders in 2007. We continue to support the Elders to reach their goals of supporting peace, justice and human rights worldwide.