Yu Muramatsu of Japan displays a string of paper cranes.

Takita holding a delicate crane. She donated origami paper for the project.

To show their sympathy for victims of the Sept. terrorist attacks, Cornell’s international students launched a project to make 1,000 origami cranes, which were mailed around the world to alumni or friends directly affected by the attacks, to newborns of Cornell friends to wish them hope and peace, and to children from all cultural backgrounds. Cornell’s American students, area church congregations, and Mount Vernon schoolchildren helped fold the paper cranes. Cranes symbolize longevity, peace, and hope, according to Japanese folklore.

Chiaki Takita and Junko Nakata, seniors from Japan, inspect origami cranes they helped to make.