NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN has received more than 5,000 expressions of encouragement from across the globe since the Great East Japan Earthquake. A number of notes came from listeners who themselves were living amidst calamity and strife. NHK WORLD has delivered the messages to people affected by the disaster. Some felt inspired to move forward with restoration of their communities. Others decided to take action in other countries to show their gratitude. 5 years after the quake, interaction between the Tohoku region and the rest of the world is lifting the spirits of senders of the messages and their recipients.