On November 11, 2025, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary from the explosion of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, the Italian Olive Oil Towns Association is promoting an initiative of the highest symbolic and civic value: the solemn planting of an Italian olive tree in Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park, renewing a gesture made in 1995 in collaboration with the cities of Hiroshima and Assisi.
Thirty years after that first peacekeeping act, Italy returns to that place of remembrance with an initiative that aims to reaffirm the universal values of nonviolence, dialogue between peoples, cooperation, and hope, through the age-old symbol of the olive tree, emblem of Mediterranean civilization, Italian culture, and the UNESCO-recognized Mediterranean Diet.
In a historical moment profoundly marked by wars, conflicts, human rights violations, and global geopolitical challenges, this gesture takes on an even more urgent and universal significance. The planting of the Olive Tree of Peace is intended to be a tangible message of brotherhood among peoples, an act of ethical and cultural diplomacy, and a call to collective responsibility for building a sustainable and peaceful future. The project is part of the 27th Universal Jubilee of the Catholic Church, which will be celebrated in 2025. The Hiroshima event has been preceded by the donation of 200,000 olive branches and 150 palm trees for the Palm Sunday on April 13, 2025, which the Città dell’Olio Association donated for the liturgical celebration in St. Peter’s Square, confirming its role as a promoter of the values of peace, spirituality, and rural identity.
Completing the symbolic framework, the initiative is consistent with the path of enhancing the cultural connection between Italy and Japan, already represented by the official Jubilee mascot, “Luce,” inspired by the aesthetics of Japanese anime and created by Italian-Japanese designer Simone Legno, founder of the Tokidoki brand.