In this special year of Coventry UK City of Culture 2021, the Coventry Young Ambassadors presented a festival of Japanese Arts & Culture on 2 July.

The morning events took place in Coventry Cathedral and were introduced by Rebecca Bollands, Deputy Headteacher of Howes Primary School, Coventry.

They included the presentation by Dean of Coventry Cathedral of the Cross of Nails to His Excellency Hayashi Hajime, Japanese Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

The Ambassador then presented a Certificate of Commendation to Coventry Lord Mayor’s Committee for Peace and Reconciliation in recognition of its distinquished contribution to the deepening of mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and the United Kingdom.

This was followed by the children’s Hiroshima-Coventry Noh-inspired drama performance.

The morning continued with activities by the children demonstrating various aspects of Japanese culture.

These included a Japan Art Installation and children’s workshops with Hiroka Imada; children’s demonstrations of Ikebana (art of Japanese flower arrangement) and the Tea Ceremony; and an exhibition of children working with the Japan Society and the Between the Stones Project including masks, wind chimes/peace poems and photographs of the performance workshop with Kinue Oshima.

The afternoon events took place in Coventry War Memorial Park. Find out more and watch a video here.