linking people, places, history, stories
Tadao Minami is perhaps the most well known of all the prisoners of war buried at the Cowra Japanese War Cemetery. He was the first Japanese POW to be captured in Australia.
Cowra Japanese War Cemetery was where the peace and reconciliation story between Cowra and Japanese people began.
The World Peace Bell is a symbol of hope for world peace. Cowra's Peace Bell is Australia's first, and the only bell presented to a small town in recognition of Cowra's unique story of peace and reconciliation.
Sakura Avenue is a cherry tree planting initiative that links Cowra children to people in Japan.
This week, Cowra's own Lawrance Ryan recorded the narration for the Cowra Voices app at the ABC Central West studios in Orange, concluding all the audio recordings for the storytelling app.
The annual Cowra Festival of International Understanding held between March 15th - 17th, 2019 celebrated Japan as its guest nation. Japan was the first official guest nation in 1966, and is the only country in the world to be the guest twice.
Cowra Voices finishes recording the voices of the people buried in the Japanese War Cemetery
A story of a stone lantern, student exchange, and enduring friendship between the people of Cowra and Japan.
The story behind how Cowra became the home of Australia's first World Peace Bell in 1992 involves serendipity as much as perseverance and hard work according to Rod Blume, former mayor of Cowra (1991-1994).
The Mayor of Cowra Council Bill West remarked at a recent cherry tree planting ceremony that peace can't be legislated, 'it has to come from within.'
It's cherry blossom season in Cowra. Masako Fukui and Mayu Kanamori have been listening to and documenting the sounds of Spring, and voices of peace in Cowra
A prototype of the Cowra Voices app prototype designed by Chie Muraoka has been unveiled. The app is a storytelling app, documenting the unique peace and reconciliation story of Cowra.
Tokai University students submit preliminary designs for Cowra Voices app.
The first stage of Cowra Voices Project -- a visit to Cowra with design students from Japan -- was a resounding success, and the project facilitators are already moving onto the second stage, preparing to record interviews, seeking more funding, and beginning the serious work of designing the app.
