The choir made up of A-bomb survivors, who have sung their hopes for peace through songs at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Day Peace Memorial Ceremony held every year on August 9, will not participate in the ceremony for the last time because of their aging population. However, next month, it will be restarted as a new organization with the addition of non-hibakusha members.
The Hibakusha Singing Group “Himawari”, a chorus of A-bomb survivors, started in 2004 at the request of Mr. Kazumitsu Terai, a musician from Nagasaki City. I put it on a song and sued.
However, as the number of A-bomb survivors aged about 50 decreased to 11, it was decided that it would be difficult to continue, and they indicated that they would be the last to participate in the ceremony.
Under such circumstances, after finishing this year's ceremony and reconsidering future activities, it was decided that next month, people other than A-bomb survivors would join the members and make a fresh start as a new organization.
The name of the group is "Peace Singing Choir 'Himawari'", and they are calling on junior and senior high school students to participate in the aim of passing on the experiences of the atomic bombing and appealing for peace through songs.
Sadako Tasaki, chairman of the Hibakusha Singing Group 'Himawari', said, ``I want to sing along with young people to convey her wish to pass on her feelings for peace.''