36 white birds for 36 artists who lost their lives.

This month marks five years since the arson attack on Kyoto Animation, which claimed the lives of 36 employees of the beloved anime studio. The pain of the incident is still something that’s strongly felt in the hearts of those who lost people they love and admire, and on July 14, a monument was dedicated as a place of remembrance.

The monument is located in Uji, the same Kyoto Prefecture where Kyoto Animation is located and the attack took place. Created with input from Kyoto Animation artists, the three-meter (9.8-foot) tall sculpture is made up of 36 white birds spiraling towards the heavens, one for each victim who lost their life in the tragedy.

The July 14 dedication ceremony was attended by 93 people, including members of the victims’ families. Inscriptions on the monument read, “Passing dreams and passion from one person to the next,” and “Limitless dreams, told through animation. In every line drawn, years of cultivated talent and profound sentiment. From here in Uji, Kyoto, they spread out into the world, taking wing toward our uninterrupted future.”

The monument is not located at the site where the attack took place, as the studio has been demolished, but is instead found within the Tea and Uji History Park (Ocha to Uji no Machi Rekishi Kouen in Japanese), adjacent to Uji Station. Though the park, and monument, are open to the public, Kyoto Animation has requested that visitors refrain from leaving flowers or other offerings when visiting to pay their respects, likely out of a desire to avoid disrupting daily life for local residents.

Source: NHK News Web
Top image: Wikipedia/MikeHattsu
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