Quezon City peace crane drive honors Hiroshima survivor Sadako Sasaki

In late April and mid‑May 2026, Catholic priest Robert Reyes organized origami peace‑crane activities for children at a church in Quezon City, Philippines. More than 1,000 colorful cranes were folded as part of a campaign to promote peace amid ongoing conflicts such as the Israel‑U.S.–Iran tensions. Reyes was inspired after visiting Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in 2024 and learning the story of Sadako Sasaki, a two‑year‑old survivor of the 1945 atomic bomb who later developed leukemia and folded paper cranes based on a legend that 1,000 cranes would grant a wish. Sadako’s effort became a worldwide symbol of hope and peace, and the Quezon City event seeks to carry that legacy forward.

Sadako Sasaki’s biography notes that she survived the Hiroshima bombing, was diagnosed with leukemia ten years later, and continued folding cranes until her death in 1955. Her story has been commemorated globally and continues to inspire peace initiatives such as the one led by Reyes.