The focus of our work in Japan is to raise awareness for people around the world about the impact of the atomic bombs dropped in 1945 on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The impact continues for people in Japan to this day. The purpose is not to debate the misfortunes of WWII, but to underscore the tragic use of atomic weapons in the past or in the future.

Crosscurrents has worked with “Hibakushas”, atomic bombs survivors. These people are reaching out around the world to share their memories and experiences. Crosscurrents has hosted Hibakushas in the USA to help share their stories. 

VIDEO BY MEREDITH KAUFMAN YOUNGER

Crosscurrents has also taken groups of Americans to Hiroshima to experience the modern city and to meet Japanese people who want to reach out in friendship.

Crosscurrents supports the work of Wilmington College Peace Resource Center (PRC). In 2019, the PRC returned the “Atomic Cross” to the Cathedral in Nagasaki. The cross was in the collection of the PRC for over 40 years. See the full story.

Crosscurrents supports the work of University of Middle East Project, Oleander Institute that brings secondary school classroom teachers from the  Middle East and the USA to spend time together in Hiroshima, to learn from each other and from their Japanese counterparts in Japanese schools. The teachers prepare fresh curricula materials from their experiences to return to their own classrooms. The program is on-going and very successful. Teachers around the world need themselves to learn and return to their classrooms to help youth better understand the impact of nuclear weapons.