First Lady Pool Reports of May 19, 2023

FLOTUS Pool Report No. 1 - Next Generations' Symposium arrival

Good afternoon from Hiroshima – I'll be your print pooler for Dr. Jill Biden's appearance at today's program for the spouses on the sidelines of the G7 summit.

Your pool has been awaiting the spouses at the Hiroshima Orizuru Tower, which overlooks the Atomic Bomb Dome. Programming before her arrival included a history lesson about the 1945 atomic bombing and an appearance from Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai. She'll perform a version of "Lean on Me" after the pool departs and was going through part of the song with the students, teaching them the English lyrics.

The students are seated on risers in a semi-circle and were instructed – in Japanese, with English translation – to welcome Mrs. Yuko Kishida and the other spouses with "a big smile and a warm round of applause."

At 5:40 p.m. Kishida, Akshata Murty and Britta Ernst arrived at the event and sat in the first row. Heiko von der Leyen may be seated with them as well, but he wasn't in pooler's view.

Dr. Biden was running late and arrived with her granddaughter Maisy at 5:50 p.m. The program was briefly paused as the audience awaited their arrival. She's wearing a light purple dress. Maisy has on a blue floral maxi-dress and black shoes.

More TK

Here's background from the East Wing:

Next Generations' Symposium

The symposium is organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace (HOPe), and the Hiroshima Office of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Approximately 120 students from public and private universities across Hiroshima Prefecture – including Hiroshima University, Hiroshima Women's University, and Hiroshima Shudo University – as well as alumni of the UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador Program, will convene to hear from speakers and participate in discussions related to fostering peace and building momentum for the next generation to take action on global challenges.

FLOTUS Pool Report No. 2 - FLOTUS remarks

At 6:12 p.m. Dr. Biden appeared at the podium and talked about she had recently hosted Mrs. Kishida in Washington.

"So thank you for welcoming us to your home," Biden said in return.

"Today we gather just a few steps away from a monument memorializes the deadliest war yet known to mankind," she said.

"We must teach this history so that we can understand the choices in front of us. Choose creation over destruction, innovation over humanity, peace over bloodshed, democracy over autocracy," she continued.

She wrapped at 6:15 p.m. but is staying on-site for the rest of the programming and spouses dinner.

Pool is being moved out – full remarks below

Ahead of Biden, Mrs. Yuko Kishida, wearing a royal blue dress, spoke in Japanese about being from Hiroshima and the "inhumane" use of nuclear weapons. She said, via the English translator, that "one of my important duties is to pass on my prayers for peace for the next generation."

Ahead of the spouses' remarks, Yuji Sasaki, the nephew of a woman who died of leukemia at age 12 after surviving the atomic blast, spoke about how she folded paper cranes in hope that she would survive the disease.

His son briefly showed off one of her paper cranes – which was tiny - and said he wished for the war in Ukraine to end. And his father briefly spoke.

FROM THE EAST WING:

Last month, I had the honor of hosting Mrs. Kishida in Washington. And Yuko, I was moved by your kindness and generosity, and I know that the friendship between our nations continues to grow deeper with time. Thank you for welcoming us to your home.

Today, we gather just steps away from a monument that memorializes part of the deadliest war yet known to mankind. We must teach this history, so that we can understand the choices in front of us: choose creation over destruction, innovation over inhumanity, peace over bloodshed, democracy over autocracy.

Every generation inherits the world in their time. You, our youth, know that. You know that you are the future. But you are not just our future; you're also our present.

And as the distances between us grow smaller, as both technology and the challenges of our modern times transcend borders and nationalities, what you do today can resonate throughout the world.

You are the builders of democracy. You are the dreamers of a better world. You are the keepers of peace.

Every day, I am inspired by the young people of the United States. Like them, I know that you are leading movements for change, working for climate justice and a sustainable future for all.

You show the world that change can happen, that young people can make it happen.

The future is not a far-away finish line. We are building it every day.

Raise your voice. Hold on to your dreams. And let's create a better, freer, more peaceful world.

May God bless us all.

Thank you

FLOTUS Pool Report No. 3 - cleaned up quotes

Apologies – in an effort to get the report out quickly, the quotes weren't precise. Here's the cleaned up version:

"Today we gather just a few steps away from the monument that memorializes part of the deadliest war yet known to mankind."

"We must teach this history, so that we can understand the choices in front of us."

"Choose creation over destruction, innovation over *inhumanity*, peace over bloodshed, democracy over autocracy."

That's it from me – have a wonderful night/morning!