The World Tree of Hope now shines brightly at Grace Cathedral in downtown San Francisco.
The tree, unlike any other in the world, is decorated with almost 20,000 origami cranes.
“There are so many cranes that it looks like there is snow on the ground. That’s so amazing,” says Linda Mihara, the designer of the tree heads.
Linda Mihara has been the tree’s lead designer since its inception 19 years ago.
Origami is not just a pastime for her, it is a family tradition.
“I’ve been doing origami since I was five years old, and my grandfather wrote two of the first books in English about origami, so origami is in my blood,” Mihara said.
The tree, a symbol of hope for so many around the world.
Each origami crane features a handwritten wish, submitted by people both near and far.
“They come from all over the world, and we also have some special requests for the tree from President Obama, Jane Goodall, Hillary Clinton, Courtney Cox, RuPaul, but really it’s the people’s tree,” says Jeff Cotter, the founder and executive director of the Rainbow World Fund.
Jeff Cotter, the founder and executive director of the Rainbow World Fund, said this year that the tree seems to mean just so much more to many.
“It feels like a very uncertain time for people, so I think it’s important that people find what makes them hopeful and also try to connect with their families and communities as much as possible,” Cotter said.
That’s exactly what Mihara said the World Tree of Hope is there for: to connect people across oceans and divides and to demonstrate the power of a simple act like folding origami.
“For me, when I see it, I think about all the years I’ve been involved, and at the end of every year, when I see the tree, I think about continuing and just enjoying the fact that everyone is celebrating. origami folding,” Mihara said.
