Human-flag for tsunami victims
COOLANGATTA State School's Year 7 students threw themselves literally into Japanese Culture day today.
The 31 students joined other students studying Japanese from local schools to form a human version of the Japanese flag and to send their thoughts to victims of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that caused devastation on March 11, 2011.
Over 200 students took part as they sang a song "Unseen Ties" in Japanese.
Using a webcam system, the school was connected to Miyagi Nougyou High School through the event.
"The Japanese high school lost its entire school building in the tsunami," organiser Kayoko Govindasamy said.
"They are still struggling to regain the strength to carry on.
"Our students are aware that these young Japanese students have lost everything and are traumatised with huge scars from the diaster.
"We hope we have cheered them up a little by our gentle gesture of support."
Ms Govindasamy said officials from the Japanese consul came to the event, along with representatives from LOTE (language Other Than English), the Department of Education Queensland.
"Our Japanese Culture Day is progressing well," she said.
"It is growing bigger and better."
