1,000 Cranes for Ukraine: A Gift from the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre

JCCC staff gift a senbazuru to SVI staff. Photo by Violetta Petrova.

In November, St. Volodymyr Institute (SVI) welcomed a meaningful gift from the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) — a senbazuru, or 1,000 origami cranes. More than a stunning piece of artwork, this display is a symbol of unity and hope capturing the essence of peace across cultures. Its arrival at SVI is a celebration of the powerful connection between our two communities.

The Senbazuru: A Tradition Rooted in Hope

The senbazuru, a traditional Japanese display of 1,000 paper cranes, carries a longstanding belief in its power to bring peace, health, and healing to those in need. This tradition is closely tied to the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young Hiroshima survivor who folded cranes in the hope of recovering from radiation sickness. Though Sadako ultimately succumbed to her illness, her legacy transformed the senbazuru into a universal emblem of resilience and compassion.

Blue and yellow paper cranes laid out on a table, to become part of a senbazuru

In early 2022, as part of their Cranes for Ukraine Project, JCCC created a senbazuru titled Fly High, My Crane, Ukraine. The JCCC community came together to fold 1,000 cranes as an expression of solidarity with Ukraine, dedicating their efforts especially to the Ukrainian children who had come to Canada for medical treatment at Toronto’s SickKids Hospital. For two years, the senbazuru hung in the Heritage Court at JCCC intending to be hung at SickKids Hospital, but due to restrictions at the hospital, SVI gladly accepted the senbazuru to be hung in our main lobby for all visitors to see.

To honour this exchange, we presented JCCC with two traditional Ukrainian gifts: solomopletinnia (соломоплетіння), a handwoven straw artwork rooted in Ukraine’s agrarian heritage, and a painting of a driapanka (дряпанка), a decorated egg created with an intricate scratching technique.

A Symbol of Peace and Cultural Connection

We are honoured to display this powerful symbol and share its message with everyone who walks through our doors. Together with our friends at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, we celebrate the strength found in our diverse traditions and our shared hope for a peaceful future. If you’re nearby, we invite you to visit us, experience the senbazuru firsthand, and share its message. Let us continue to support each other’s cultures and build lasting bonds that bring us closer together.

Learn more about the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre