CRANES. COMMUNITY. CONNECTION.
'Cranes For Community'
This is an adaptable community initiative tool. It is a creative way to demonstrate that ordinary people can come together for a simple cause and create a piece of beauty.
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'Cranes for Community' Celebrates Community
Communities that participate in Cranes for Community, create 1000 origami paper cranes based on the 1000 crane legend. After making 1000 cranes, they are displayed to celebrate the wishes of a community. The art installation is placed in a public and accessible area
for all to see and enjoy.
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'Cranes For Community' Inspires Meaningful Connections
Sometimes communities can feel distanced, either because of a specific event or because they have drifted apart - because everyone is busy. This is where Cranes for Community comes in. The 'Cranes For Community' art installation celebrates the community through a common medium. It builds awareness towards their wishes, and can unite a community.
The art installation creates space for people from different walks of life, backgrounds, or interests to enjoy the beauty of unity. Whether it be a small scale project in a neighborhood or a large scale event in a corporation, 'Cranes for Community' connects, inspires, & unites all.
HISTORY
The initiative of origami cranes comes from the traditional Japanese folktale. Cranes in Japanese culture are referred to as “birds of happiness”, the wings of the crane believed to carry souls to the ultimate paradise. Cranes are said to represent fortune and longevity.
When we say the 1000 crane folktale, or “senzaburu”, it is a symbol of hope and healing. The belief is that if one folds 1000 origami cranes, their wish would come true. Used in challenging times, people fold these cranes and string them, given as gifts to the community or the gods.
The most famous story of senzaburu is the story of Sadako Sasaki, a little girl who was exposed to radiation as a child and diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 12. She decided to fold the 1000 cranes, hoping for her wish to come true, but sadly she only folded 644 before passing away. Her classmates, however, finished her cranes, and those cranes were made into the wreath she was buried with. There is now a statue of Sadako in Hiroshima Peace Park, and her story is told in the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr.
YOUR ROLE
All you have to do is make the cranes!
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1. Write a wish for your community inside the paper you will use to fold your crane using pencil, then record it using the wish recorder form.
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2. Fold your crane using an 8.5x8.5 piece of white printer paper. This size can be achieved by cutting a letter size paper into a square. Use the link below for basic folding instructions.
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3. Coordinate how to give us your cranes to incorporate into the exhibit using the form!
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That's all... Thank you for your help!
CONTACT
