A tiny park in West Hobart will become sacred ground for global peace hopes this week with the planting of a sapling descended from a gingko tree that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
The ginkgo tree, gifted to the City of Hobart by Hiroshima under the Mayors for Peace project in 2019, has been raised from seed by the City's nursery team. Children from nearby Goulburn Street Primary will help plant the tree, one of four to be planted in parks across Hobart.
The tree is being planted in honour of this year's International Day of Peace, established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly and held tomorrow (Saturday 21 September) this year.
Quotes to be attributed to Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds:
"This ginkgo tree has been carefully nurtured by the City of Hobart nursery team from seed and is a powerful symbol of peace.
"Hobart is honoured to be one of just 88 cities outside of Japan that have received seeds and seedlings from trees that withstood the bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945.
"The bomb scorched and stripped bare Hiroshima's gingko trees just as they were in full leaf, and yet less than a year later green shoots appeared in a landscape torn by war and the atomic bomb.
"Hobart is deeply honoured to become a custodian of the descendants of these survivor trees and as a place of hope."
Background information:
- West Hobart's Peace Park was established in 1986 to celebrate the International Year of Peace.
- The idea of a local Peace Park was initiated by two local residents, Rachel Cocks and Joan Fitz-Nead, through a Streets for Peace project.
- The community peace campaign included a petition for World Peace and a Nuclear Free Environment.
- The West Hobart Peace Park runs between Liverpool Crescent and Forest Road in West Hobart. Prospect Place and Roberts Street run from Forest Road to the Peace Park.
- The West Hobart Peace Park statue, created by artist Tom Coley, is listed on the Monument Australia website.
Pictured with the ginkgo tree are City of Hobart Acting Program Leader Arboriculture Travis Marriner and Tasmanian Conveyor Medical Association for the Prevention of War Dr Sally Attrill.
