Have you heard about the Children's Peace Monument? It's a very special monument that was built in Japan to remember a little girl named Sadako.
You see, Sadako was just two years old when an atomic bomb was dropped on her city, Hiroshima, during World War II. This was a very long time ago when things were really scary and lots of people got hurt. Sadako survived the explosion, but years later she became very sick because of the radiation from the bomb. Doctors told her that she had something called leukemia, a type of cancer.
Sadako's story spread all over Japan, and people were inspired by her bravery and resilience. She was a very kind and spirited girl who loved folding origami paper cranes. In Japan, people believe that if you fold a thousand paper cranes, your wish will come true. So, Sadako started folding cranes because she wished for good health and peace in the world.
Sadly, Sadako didn't get better. But she didn't give up on her dream for peace. While she was in the hospital, she folded over a thousand cranes, hoping that her wish would still be granted and that no other children would suffer like her.
When the people in Hiroshima heard about Sadako's story and her dreams, they wanted to do something to honor her and the thousands of children who died because of the atomic bomb. That's when they decided to build the Children's Peace Monument.
The Children's Peace Monument is a big statue with a girl standing on top, holding a paper crane in her hands. It's shiny and gold, and it's located in a place called the Peace Memorial Park, which is a special park dedicated to remembering the victims of the atomic bombing.
At the base of the monument, there are lots and lots of paper cranes. People from all over the world send these cranes as a symbol of their wish for peace. You can see colorful and beautiful cranes, some big and some small, all gathered under the monument.
The Children's Peace Monument reminds us of Sadako's story and teaches us about the importance of peace. It reminds us that even if we are small, like children, we can still make a big difference in the world. It encourages us to work together to create a peaceful world and prevent the tragedies that happened in the past from happening again.
So, the Children's Peace Monument is a special place in Japan that honors a brave little girl named Sadako and stands as a symbol of hope for peace.