BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A daylong celebration will commemorate 80 years since the end of World War II and the city's sister city friendship with Tondabayashi, Japan.
The festivities will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at Payrow Plaza, 10 E. Church St., with the unveiling of the "International Kids’ Guernica Peace Mural Exhibition" and a performance by Japanese taiko drummers.
From 1:30 to 4 p.m., the event continues at the Bethlehem Area Public Library, 11 W. Church St., featuring a special peace concert.
The evening will finish with the Strings of Hope premiere concert and multimedia screening at 8 p.m. at Congregation Brith Sholom, 1190 Macada Road.
Sister City Peace concert
Tondabayashi became an official sister city of Bethlehem in 1972.
Located in southern Japan, it's among six cities partnered with Bethlehem through the Sister City program.
Others are Achwäbisch Gmünd in Germany, Corfu in Greece, Foiano di Val Fortore in Italy, Murska Sobota in Slovenia and Patillas in Puerto Rico.
At the Sister City Peace concert, attendees will be able to see and hear historic violins that survived Hiroshima and the Holocaust, performed by Israeli-American cellist Udi Bar-David of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Bar-David also is founder of Intercultural Journey, a nonprofit in Philadelphia dedicated to fostering music among diverse cultures, and ARTolerance, which holds multimedia arts events aimed at promoting peace and unity.
He will be joined by singer-songwriter Rachel Andie and Shamisen musician Kosaburo Kineya.
Attendees also will hear reflections from Dr. T. Kenjitsu Nakagaki, a Buddhist priest and founder of the Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New York, and recorded messages from Bethlehem Mayor Willie J. Reynolds and city officials from Tondabayashi.
Strings of Hope
In the evening, the focus will shift to the Strings of Hope Concert at 8 p.m. at Brith Sholom.
The multimedia performance tells the stories of WWII survivors from Hiroshima, Shanghai, Vienna, and Warsaw, Poland, through live music, film and spoken word.
The concert again will feature Bar-David, Kineya and taiko drummer Joe Small.
Miki Sankary, among the event's organizers, said the concerts are more than performances — they are a testament to the enduring power of cross-cultural friendship.
“This is an unforgettable celebration of resilience, remembrance, and hope,” Sankary said.
“It’s a chance for our community to reflect on history while building connections that will last for generations.”
The concerts are free, but organizers are accepting donations through Bethlehem Area Public Library's website.
Attendees must register before the event. For information, visit the event's website.
