Workshop 1
THE BRIGHT SIDE OF MEMORY
Workshop facilitator: Ludovic Fresse
I participated in the workshop “The Bright Side of Memory.” This program aimed to explore innovative ways of remembrance and to create a participatory handbook that inspires young people to take initiative in peace-related activities. Growing up in Hiroshima, I have learned from an early age about both the importance of peace and the diffi- culty of making peacebuilding, and I have actively taken part in peace activities. At the same time, with the aging of the atomic bomb survivors, I have strongly felt the need to do something so that the tragic reality of the bombing will not fade from memory. I chose this workshop because it offered the opportunity to discuss with people from diverse countries about: Why should we remember? What does “never again” really mean? During the workshop, we engaged in deep discus- sions about each participant’s national historical backgrounds and current situation, and together we summarized different approaches to achieving peace. One of the most impressive moments was when partic- ipants from Ukraine and Israel shared that they were still living in environments without peace. I was also surprised when someone asked me, upon hearing I came from Hiroshima, “Was it possible to live there?” At first, I felt sad at such a question, but after listening to the Ukrainian situation—where many cannot return home because it is destroyed or too dangerous because of the war—I came to understand the question behind it. It made me realize that war is not just a past but an ongoing tragedy in our present world.
What I came to believe strongly through this project is that we should not hate specific countries but rather hate war itself. Reflecting on why human beings continue to fight, why concentration camps are created, and why conflicts persist, I felt deep frustration with human folly. At the same time, I reaffirmed that peace is not something achieved merely by prayers or wishes— it must be pursued and realized through continuous effort.
Author: Haruka Maeda, Japan
Link to Website
Youth4Peace 24
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