Japanese American community unites for healing in the wake of stolen Sadako statue

Event takes a stand against the mutilation and theft of Peace Park statue (see KOMO News report on theft of Sadako Statue on July 19th, 2024)

11 a.m.–12 noon on Friday, Aug. 2

Seattle Peace Park (851 NE 40th St.)

SEATTLE – Members of the Japanese American community and allies—including University Friends Meeting, a Quaker church—will come together for a healing event open to the public. The Aug. 2 event falls just three weeks after the mutilation and theft of the bronze Sadako Sasaki statue by the University Bridge. 

“We will not stand for this act of vandalism—and possibly hate,” said Stan Shikuma, one of the healing event organizers. “The Japanese American, Quaker, and U District communities are in deep pain following this horrific act. We invite law enforcement and public officials to help us by restoring the statue and uplifting the park.”

Sadako Sasaki, the inspiration for the statue, was a young girl from Hiroshima who folded 1,000 origami cranes and wished for peace before she died due to atomic bomb radiation. Sadako’s legacy—and cranes in general–are deeply sacred in Japanese culture.  

The one-hour event will include a brief ceremony, speeches and performances. Attendees are invited to bring origami cranes as a way of honoring Sadako. All members of the public, including those not present at the healing event, are invited to share about the importance of the Sadako statue on social media with the hashtag #IStandWithSadako.  

The sponsoring organizations include the Japanese American Citizens League, Tsuru for Solidarity, Minidoka Pilgrimage Planning Committee, and From Hiroshima to Hope, which are all dedicated to peace and/or social justice—and connected through historic aspects of the Japanese/Japanese American legacy. From Hiroshima to Hope for example hosts an annual event honoring victims of atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 

“Today, we must stand up for Sadako, a real child who died from war and violence, and whose story must never be forgotten. We stand up for this missing statue, because Sadako’s story reminds us of the creative spirit and inherent value in all victims of war and violence,” said Mary Hanson, president of From Hiroshima to Hope. 

The event is also supported by University Friends Meeting, a Quaker church–who was instrumental in placing the statue and developing the Peace Park before turning it over to Seattle Parks to administer and maintain.