A group of students at the University of Iowa are involved in a nationwide effort to send an expression of peace to the terrorist victims in New York and Washington. U-of-I Japanese instructor Yasumi Kuriya and her students help fold one thousand paper cranes using the ancient technique of origami. Kuriya says the birds are a symbol of peace and will be added to those from other schools from around the country before being sent to New York and D.C.
Sixteen to 17 high schools and colleges are participating to fold around eight thousand cranes. She says it takes five to seven minutes to fold one of the cranes, but says the results of the efforts should last much longer.
She hoped the students would feel they’re doing something for the victims and she says it did seem to give the students a “warm” feeling. Kuriya says they need to contact New York to let them know the cranes are coming, and then they’ll be boxed and sent on.
Kuriya says a colleague of hers at another school told her about the project and the U-of-I got involved and became the collection point.
Iowa's Radio News Network
