Every year many thousands of people around the world fold paper cranes as an expression of hope for a world at peace, where non-violent means are used to resolve conflicts, and where people can live without fear. This comes from the story of Sadako Sasaki, who was just two years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Ten years later she fought a courageous battle with leukemia. During her treatment she began to fold 1,000 paper cranes as a wish for health but her friends had to finish the project. She was buried with the cranes. Sadako's courage and faith inspired her friends and students across the world to raise money for a memorial to the children who were innocent victims of the atomic bomb.

Every year children and adults from all over the world fold a thousand cranes to be taken to the children's monument in the Peace Park in Hiroshima. The cranes are placed at the foot of the monument where the inscription reads:

You can find two books about Sadako Sasaki in the Mustard Seeds Library. Try making your own paper crane by following the instructions available at many websites (for example you can click the picture of the paper crane shown below to follow a link) and ... let PEACE begin with yoy! Open your heart, open your mind and start folding!