March 1-31, 2013: Balloons of Colorful Hopes

The "Balloons of Colorful Hopes Exhibit", proudly sponsored by Shiseido (Canada) Inc., has come to Canada for the first time and is on display during the month of March at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. 

On March 11, 2011, Japan’s Tohoku region was severely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Fukushima experienced unprecedented damage from this earthquake and the resulting nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric’s No.1 Fukushima power plant. Almost two years later, there is still a long road to recovery. As of December 2012, 150,000 people were still forced to live as evacuees outside of Fukushima.

As part of their social action programs to support the future of the devastated Fukushima area, Shiseido and the Mainichi Newspaper co-organized the “Balloons of Colorful Hopes Exhibit,” held in December 2012 in Fukushima.

Elementary school children from Fukushima sent in drawings of “my future self” and essays on “my plan to make the adult(s) I love more beautiful.” Shiseido’s hair and makeup artists and creators turned these drawings and essays into fun posters.  The result is an exhibit worth visiting -  the thought of many Canadians viewing these posters in the gallery is sure to make the children of Fukushima smile.

Admission is FREE.  For more information, please visit the exhibit website.

BALLOONS OF COLORFUL HOPES
March 1-31, 2013
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre
6 Garamond Court, Toronto
FREE admission