Trees that spread peace

By Rotary International

By Hiroko Seki, Rotary Club of Tokyo Yoneyama Yuai

The Ginkgo tree sapling at the Carter Center.

On 12 June, during the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, we planted a Ginkgo nursery tree at The Carter Center, founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. The tree is a descendant of one that survived the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.

When I saw this young tree for the first time, I was blown away by its vigor and beauty. The sapling was cultivated from its mother tree by Green Legacy Hiroshima Initiative led by UNITAR Hiroshima, and cared for by Steaven Leeper and Elizabeth Baldwin for nearly six years before they brought it to Atlanta for the ceremony.

The day of the planting included heavy rain, so the ceremony was held inside. Then Rotary President John F. Germ, Past President Sakuji Tanaka, and the CEO of the Carter Center attended. A certificate was presented to Past District Governor Jiro Kawatsuma from Hiroshima. Visitors can now see the tree in a beautiful garden at the Center.

A few days prior to the ceremony, during the Presidential Peace Conference, our …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

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