Ted Samuel, Senior Director of Oberlin Shansi, visited Hiroshima and was given a tour of the hibakujumoku by GLH coordinator Nassrine Azimi and secretariat team member Ben Echikson, who has been working at GLH as part of a 2-year Shansi fellowship. Throughout the tour, they visited hibakujumokus on Atagoike, around Hiroshima Castle and Shukkeien Garden.

GLH Co-founder and coordinator Nassrine Azimi met with our marvelous partners at the San Diego Botanic Garden — Ari Novy, Jeremy Bugarchich and Joe DeWolf in March. She was also delighted to see SDBG’s young Ginkgo settling comfortably in its new home there, and seedlings of other hibakujumoku, like the Citrus Natsudaidai (Summer Orange) and Kurogane holly growing at the SDBFG nursery.

We are delighted to learn that Jo Brennan of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria could receive today a batch of hibakujumoku Ginkgo seeds, hand delivered by GLH partners Virginia McNally and Dominic Napoleone of the University of Melbourne. Under a shining sun, a small handover ceremony was set against the backdrop of one of the Gardens' flourishing Ginkgo specimens. The seeds are currently undergoing cold stratification in the Gardens' nursery as they prepare to be sowed. We extend our gratitude to all involved for their efforts to make this exchange happen.

In June 2017 GLH sent seeds to the Research Institute Mare Nostrum, who since have diligently documented the process. The Mare Nostrum website features images of the seeds, and the flowchart below, detailing application, arrival and sowing of seeds. It also has a detailed technical analysis that includes step-by-step images and explanations for germinating the seeds. Gratitude for the care and efforts of Peter Bauckmann from Mare Nostrum and Shuichi Hamatani from the Hiroshima Botanical Garden.

Our partner Janja Makše from the University Botanic Garden in Ljubljana sent us pictures of Ginkgo and Hackberry trees growing strong into a beautiful green and yellow hue. Janja also informed us that they have 18 Hackberry trees and 9 Ginkgo trees.

Dr. Nura Abdul Karim has forwarded pictures of the Camphor tree taken at the Singapore Botanic Gardens as well as its plaque. According to Dr. Abdul Karim, the Camphor tree is still growing and doing well with the tropical weather of Singapore.

The GLH team delivered a lecture through Zoom to students of our marvelous partner at CAFRE David Dowd. Our coordinator Nassrine Azimi spearheaded the session and was assisted by Haruka Yasuda and me. During the lecture we discussed Hiroshima's recent history in connection to the atomic bomb, its subsequent reconstruction, the significance of the A-bomb survivor trees, as well as GLH's mission. We hope the session will inspire the students and make them aware of the significance of plant life and peace.

I also put here the link to CAFRE’s dedicated webpage for Green Legacy Hiroshima. It chronicles the partners they have sent seeds to and their process of germinating and growing the seeds. Please visit this wonderful website to learn more: https://www.cafre.ac.uk/business-support/horticulture/green-legacy-hiroshima-project/. ~ Ben

The School of Biology at the University of Costa Rica has collaborated with the university’s Education Department as well as the Lankester Botanical Garden in Costa Rica to create the "Trees of Peace from Hiroshima" project. The project conducts educational lectures on the hibakujumoku at public libraries, high schools, and universities, among other venues. To read more about the project, you can visit their Facebook page (mostly in Spanish). Our partner at the University of Costa Rica also tells us that the Ginkgo seeds are germinating well.

We are excited to share an update on the Gingko tree planted at the Geneva Headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) by Green Legacy Hiroshima. This hibakujumoku was planted in 2013 and has grown beautifully and is flourishing. Its remarkable growth at such a symbolic site embodies resilience and hope, a reminder of ICRC’s humanitarian efforts and also the work and unique contribution of Dr. Marcel Junod to Hiroshima.

Our partners at Dunedin Botanic Gardens sent us pictures of the growth of their hibakujumoku Ginkgo trees in early May. The Ginkgo seeds sent in 2017 are now saplings, enveloped in a brilliant golden color. Picture of GLH partners Lee Vallance with the curator of the Dunedin Botanic Garden (right).