Kids Activities - Paper Cranes Mark End of World Cup

Yokohama

Kids' Activities 22

Paper Cranes Mark End of World Cup


	Cranes float down into the stadium.

International Stadium Yokohama, June 30. As 69,000 people watched from the stands, Brazil beat Germany to claim the World Cup and bring an end to a month of thrilling soccer. After the match, 2.71 million folded paper cranes floated down from the stadium's giant roof onto the spectators, dancing in the spotlights as they came down. It was a beautiful way to end this month-long festival hosted jointly by Japan and South Korea.


The closing ceremony.

The origami cranes were made by kids from about 3,000 elementary and middle schools all over Japan, as well as adults, in answer to a call from JAWOC (the Japan Organizing Committee for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan). JAWOC started calling for the cranes in April on its website, and shops selling official World Cup merchandise also joined in the effort. It took the folders about two months to make over 2.7 million cranes. JAWOC had announced that the cranes would be dropped from the air at the end of the World Cup final but had kept the dropping method secret. In the end, the cranes were released from boxes attached to the stadium roof and flew around in all directions, blown by the wind and air currents in the stadium. The cranes were made with special light paper so that they floated and danced in the air as they fell gently onto the fans.


	Brazil supporters.

In Japan, origami cranes traditionally represent wishes or dreams. For example, you might give some to a friend taking part in a sports event to wish them good luck or to someone who is sick to say "Get well soon." The paper cranes at the World Cup final represented all kinds of dreams and wishes. A 17-year-old student of Yokohama City School for the Deaf wished: "I want people who aren't deaf to know that they can communicate with us." Although people sometimes ask deaf people the way, they usually give up and go away when they realize the person they are speaking to is deaf. This is sad, explained the student, because "There are ways we can understand each other, such as gestures or writing things down." A homemaker in Osaka said: "My dead son used to dream of becoming a J. League player, and I wanted to take him to the World Cup." She folded 600 cranes and wrote her son's name on them. The cranes were a wonderful way to end the World Cup. With these symbols of hope, kids and adults from all over Japan congratulated the players for making the World Cup so special and wished for another great World Cup in Germany in 2006.

Photos courtesy of Jun Kazama.