14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military "Comfort Women"ย
๐ฆButterfly Festival๐ฆ
๐จStorming Peace: Where Our Winds of Hope Meet๐จ
August 14, 2026 marks the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military Comfort Womenโ. In 1991, Kim Hak-Soon became living proof by standing in front of perpetrators who denied their crimes, claiming there was no evidence.Her voice awakened countless victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery across the Asia-Pacific and reverberated throughout the world, connecting into a powerful chain of solidarity and hope for change. To commemorate Kim Hak-Soonโs first public testimony, the 11th Asian Solidarity Conference in 2012 designated 14 August as the International Memorial Day for Japanese Military โComfort Women.โ It is to honor the strength and courage of the victim-survivors, who not only fought for an official apology and legal reparations from the Japanese government but also laid the foundation for international human rights norms on sexual violence in conflict.ย
This year, in commemoration of the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military โComfort Womenโ, the Korean Council is organising a series of events under the theme โStorming Peace: Where Our Winds of Hope Meetโ. ย We honour and remember the courage of the Japanese military sexual slavery victim-survivors. As their steadfast hopes meet our powerful voices, we come together to reaffirm our commitment to building a more peaceful world.ย
On Friday, 14 August 2026, we will hold the Butterfly Cultural Festival in commemoration of the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military โComfort Womenโ at Pyeonghwa-ro in front of the former Japanese Embassy in Seoul, at the Statue of Peace, which has finally returned to our side after the removal of the barricades.
The festival will feature a variety of performances, including music, dance, videos, and artistic performances, expressing our shared aspiration to build a peaceful world, a dream long cherished by the survivors and one that we now carry forward together.ย
We warmly invite you to join us at the <Storming Peace: Where Our Winds of Hope Meet> Butterfly Festival, where the survivorsโ steadfast hope meets our collective determination to create a powerful wave of solidarity for peace.
๐Details of the Butterfly Festival๐ฆ
๐ฃ Date & Time: Friday, 14 August, 2026, 19:00
๐ฃ Venue: In front of the Japanese Embassy, โPyonghwa-roโ (In front of the Statue of Peace)
๐ฃ Hosted/Organised By: The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan
๐ฃ Programme
- Videos from Victim-survivors
- Theme Video
- Solidarity Video
- Cultural Performances
- Butterfly Festival Statement Declaration |
14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military "Comfort Women"ย
๐ฆButterfly Festival๐ฆ
๐จStorming Peace: Where Our Winds of Hope Meet๐จ
August 14, 2026 marks the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military Comfort Womenโ. In 1991, Kim Hak-Soon became living proof by standing in front of perpetrators who denied their crimes, claiming there was no evidence.Her voice awakened countless victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery across the Asia-Pacific and reverberated throughout the world, connecting into a powerful chain of solidarity and hope for change. To commemorate Kim Hak-Soonโs first public testimony, the 11th Asian Solidarity Conference in 2012 designated 14 August as the International Memorial Day for Japanese Military โComfort Women.โ It is to honor the strength and courage of the victim-survivors, who not only fought for an official apology and legal reparations from the Japanese government but also laid the foundation for international human rights norms on sexual violence in conflict.ย
This year, in commemoration of the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military โComfort Womenโ, the Korean Council is organising a series of events under the theme โStorming Peace: Where Our Winds of Hope Meetโ. ย We honour and remember the courage of the Japanese military sexual slavery victim-survivors. As their steadfast hopes meet our powerful voices, we come together to reaffirm our commitment to building a more peaceful world.ย
On Friday, 14 August 2026, we will hold the Butterfly Cultural Festival in commemoration of the 14th International Memorial Day for Japanese Military โComfort Womenโ at Pyeonghwa-ro in front of the former Japanese Embassy in Seoul, at the Statue of Peace, which has finally returned to our side after the removal of the barricades.
The festival will feature a variety of performances, including music, dance, videos, and artistic performances, expressing our shared aspiration to build a peaceful world, a dream long cherished by the survivors and one that we now carry forward together.ย
We warmly invite you to join us at the <Storming Peace: Where Our Winds of Hope Meet> Butterfly Festival, where the survivorsโ steadfast hope meets our collective determination to create a powerful wave of solidarity for peace.
๐Details of the Butterfly Festival๐ฆ
๐ฃ Venue: In front of the Japanese Embassy, โPyonghwa-roโ (In front of the Statue of Peace)
๐ฃ Hosted/Organised By: The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan
๐ฃ Programme
- Videos from Victim-survivors
- Theme Video
- Solidarity Video
- Cultural Performances
- Butterfly Festival Statement Declaration