The whole world, including Japan, has joined in supporting Ukraine.

Earlier this year, our partner, ADRA Japan, launched a fundraiser to commemorate two years of war in Ukraine. As a symbol of solidarity and hope, our Japanese colleagues sent each donor a small package containing ten sunflower seeds. This symbolic act was intended to blossom 10 000 sunflowers, representing the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine.

 

 

The design of the sunflower seed packets was created in cooperation with our ADRA DobroCenters in Slovakia, which launched a competition to create unique sunflower drawings and allowed many talented people to contribute to this initiative.

 

Some donors chose to plant their seeds at home, while others contributed to the joint effort by planting them in an ADRA field in Yamamoto Village, Miyagi Prefecture. This site is particularly significant because it was severely affected by the 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami (the fourth strongest earthquake in recorded history). The blooming sunflowers not only honor the victims of the conflict in Ukraine, but also symbolize resilience and renewal for the Yamamoto community.

 

Recently our Japanese colleagues visited the field and with great enthusiasm sent us photos of the already blooming sunflowers, which testify to the support and solidarity of thousands of people.

 

The effort to show compassion and support to those affected by the conflict has brought people together from different parts of the world. Through our collaboration with ADRA Japan, we have jointly carried out five humanitarian projects in Ukraine and Slovakia since the start of the war, helping tens of thousands of people in need.

 

We express our deepest gratitude to all the donors who participated in this beautiful initiative. The field of sunflowers at Yamamoto is not just a symbol of remembrance; it is a living, growing testament to the kindness and generosity of people from all over the world.