Latest news with #NathanWoodfield
Otago Daily Times
11 hours ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Hiroshima ginkgo survived atomic bomb
Yasuda Girls' High School teacher Ayako Ando, of Hiroshima, speaks of the importance of peace and friendship. PHOTOS: SAM HENDERSON Living symbols of peace have taken root at Seacliff. About 30 people gathered at Truby King Recreation Reserve on Saturday to plant a ginkgo tree to mark the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the final days of World War 2. Waikouaiti Coast Community Board chairman Alasdair Morrison began the ceremony with a minute's silence at 11.02am, the exact moment on August 9, 1945, when a plutonium bomb destroyed Nagasaki. "We are here this morning to remember and reflect." Dunedin-Otaru Sister Cities Society secretary Nathan Woodfield, of Dunedin, speaks of the strong bond between the two cities. Yasuda Girls' High School teacher Ayako Ando, visiting with Hiroshima students on a two-week exchange with Otago Girls' High School, spoke of the responsibility to pass on history's lessons to younger generations. Planting the ginkgo was a powerful gesture linking two cities an ocean apart. "I hope this tree will grow tall and strong and that students in this city that pass by it in the future will pause and reflect, not only on Hiroshima's past, but on the hope it represents." Dunedin-Otaru Sister City Society secretary Nathan Woodfield reflected on 45 years of ties with Japan. Waikouaiti Coast Community Board member Mark Brown, of Dunedin, guides others to shovel soil on the base of a newly planted Ginkgo biloba tree grown from seeds of a tree that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. "As we plant this tree together, a descendant of a tree in Hiroshima that experienced the terrible rays of an atomic bomb, we can together commit to making sure that this tree here never sees such tragedy." After the speeches, people laid soil at the base of the ginkgo, which joined two others already planted in the reserve. All three trees are direct descendants of a Ginkgo biloba that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Seeds from this tree were given in 2017 by the Green Legacy Hiroshima initiative to Dunedin Botanic Garden, with support from the Rotary Club of Dunedin Central.
Otago Daily Times
11-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Sister-cities relationships explored in podcast
Nathan Woodfield hosts the Dunedin-Otaru Sister City Podcast on OAR FM. PHOTO: SUPPLIED A new radio show and podcast is exploring the rich cultural connection between Dunedin and its Japanese sister city, Otaru. The programme is hosted by Nathan Woodfield, secretary of Dunedin-Otaru Sister Cities Society. Growing up in Osaka, he lived there until age 10, when his parents returned to their New Zealand homeland. He subsequently returned to Japan to work in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, which is aimed at promoting grassroots international exchange between Japan and other nations. The first episode of the series featured a conversation with Bronwyn Thomson, a local high school teacher of Japanese language. Ms Thomson talked about her experience learning the language, and shared stories from her visits to Japan. In episode two, Mr Woodfield told his own story and covered some of the history of Otaru. He said he was looking forward to speaking with Dunedin locals who have a Japanese connection, and to people from Dunedin now living in Japan. The podcast will also promote local events, such as the Hiroshima-Nagasaki 80th Memorial Photo Exhibition to be held at the H.D. Skinner Annex, Tūhura Otago Museum, in August. "It's really special that from 10,000 kilometres away we can join in a global call for peace." Dunedin-Otaru Sister City Podcast is broadcast every fourth Monday at 6pm on 105.4FM and 1575AM. Podcasts are available from and other major platforms. A full schedule of OAR FM programmes can be found at By Jeff Harford
