The 2025 Okuma Town Memorial Ceremony for the Casualties of War was held, and 8th-grade students participated. The students have been learning about war in their social studies classes. Their Japanese language textbooks include materials depicting life during wartime, providing them with opportunities to reflect on war and peace.
~Reflections~
- “I thought the memorial ceremony was held to honor the war dead and to pass on their memory to future generations.!
- “It made me realize once again that war is wrong.”
- “I was surprised to learn that there are over 200 war dead from Okuma alone.”
- “The speeches and words were difficult to understand, but since the content was important, it was a valuable experience.”
In social studies lessons, we considered how people’s lives changed due to the war and researched the significance of “offering flowers” and “observing a moment of silence” in preparation for the memorial ceremony. Participating in the ceremony provided an opportunity to reflect on peace.
