"The 20th annual World Tree of Hope Lighting Ceremony took place at Grace Cathedral on December 8, 2025. Presented by the Rainbow World Fund (RWF), the tree-the world's largest origami-decorated holiday tree-has transformed the cathedral into a global sanctuary of peace, unity, and hope illuminated by 20,000 hand-folded origami cranes carrying wishes from people in over 100 countries. The World Tree of Hope began in 2006 under then-Mayor Gavin Newsom and has grown into an international tradition."
"Wishes sent from around the world-from children, global leaders, refugees, religious leaders, activists, celebrities, and others-are printed, folded into origami cranes, and placed on the tree as a symbol of collective hope. Such symbolism dates back to the 1955 story Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, written a decade after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the bombing. (See the December 4, 2025, issue of the San Francisco Bay Times for more information.)"
The 20th annual World Tree of Hope Lighting Ceremony occurred at Grace Cathedral on December 8, 2025, presented by the Rainbow World Fund (RWF). The installation, billed as the world's largest origami-decorated holiday tree, displayed 20,000 hand-folded cranes carrying wishes submitted from more than 100 countries. The project began in 2006 under then-Mayor Gavin Newsom and has become an international tradition. Wishes are printed, folded into cranes, and placed on the tree as a collective symbol of hope, echoing the 1955 Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes story. The year also marks the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing. The ceremony featured hosts Donna Sachet and Dion Lim, remarks from RWF founder Jeff Cotter and other community and international figures, and a performance by the San Francisco Boys Chorus.
Read at San Francisco Bay Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]