Things are beginning to stir in Hulme. Under the watchful eye of a keen network of  expert helpers, a new life form is beginning to take shape and will today be revealed to the outside world....

As part of the Mayors for Peace programme, Manchester has been given a unique opportunity. In 1945 few things survived the Hiroshima atomic bomb blast.  Metres from the epicentre, from the burnt trunks of a damaged Ginkgo tree, new buds began to sprout.

As a powerful symbol or rebirth and new hope, seeds from the second generation Ginkgo tree in Hiroshima have been gifted to cities across the World. Over the last few months, volunteers from Hulme Garden Centre have been nurturing the seeds into seedlings.

Wednesday 5 November is the 34th anniversary of Manchester becoming the world’s first nuclear free city, which placed it at the forefront of the campaign to abolish nuclear weapons.

To mark the occasion the Lord Mayor of Manchester Councillor Sue Cooley will officially receive seedlings grown from seeds taken from trees that survived the bombing of Hiroshima.

In the new year we will launch Project G  - a major art project for local school children.  
The project will ask children across the city to create artwork in response to the destruction that took place in Hiroshima and contemplate the way nature can help regenerate damaged cities.

Winning schools will get the chance to nurture one of the seedlings to a size where it can be planted in the City.

The artwork will be exhibited next year and the creators of the winning entries will be invited to attend a special event with representatives from Hiroshima.

To find out more please contact Sean Morris.

Main image from Flickr user Dena van der Wal published here under a Creative Commons licence.