Three pupils at Cardinal Newman Catholic School, Coventry, have received letters of thanks for the part they played in a Hiroshima Day service.

David Kalainkay, Prosper Osarenoghator and Sasha Nyamakanga, who are about to start year 11, attended the service at Coventry Cathedral on Saturday 6 August.

The service saw the two cities of Coventry and Hiroshima share their commitment to peace and reconciliation.

During the service the pupils delivered a presentation to the audience focused on the story of a young girl named Sadako.

The school, and pupils, have now received letters of thanks from Coventry Sacre (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education).

It said: “The Lord Mayor, members of the Lord Mayor’s Peace Committee and members of Coventry Standing Committee for Religious Education would like to thank students David Kalainkay, Prosper Osarenoghator and Sasha Nyamakanga for taking part in the Hiroshima Day service at Coventry Cathedral on Saturday 6th August 2022. The service was livestreamed and will be shared with the Japanese Ambassador (who was represented by Mr Akihiro Tsuji and his secretary Mr Kaoru Igarashi).

“This was an important service in which the two cities of Coventry and Hiroshima shared their commitment to peace and reconciliation. We were proud of your pupils’ contribution as a reflection of their peers and the City of Coventry.

“Your pupils confidently addressed the audience through their presentation of the story of a young girl named Sadako. We thank them and your staff for the preparation involved in this presentation and for giving up their time during the holidays to take part. We hope this encourages other young people to participate next year.”

Rhys Davies, history teacher at Cardinal Newman, said: “It is always an honour for the school to be involved in the Lord Mayor’s peace committee’s service of remembrance of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

“The pupils did a superb job in reading Sadako’s story and were a credit to the school, and in their role representing the young people of the city.”

More on the Service