e-ShortNews

(#) July 2 is the day our country joined UNESCO in 1951. UNESCO was set up in 1946, in order to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture (UNESCO Constitution Article 1). Next year will be the 60th year from its foundation.

(#) However wars and conflicts occur in many parts of the world even today.

(#) Many countries are primarily interested in the expansion of their power and national interests, and quite egotistically insist that only they themselves are right. They never accept their negotiating partners. Will the world ever see peace?

(#) Every leader must know that "ignorance of each other's ways and lives has been a common cause of that suspicion and mistrust that has too often broken into war". Still it must be difficult for them to compromise, transcending national and racial boundaries, over some issues involving their educational and cultural identities. If that is difficult at state level, we will have no option but to promote exchange on the non-governmental level in order to understand each other and accept each other.

(#) On July 2, the anniversary of our country joining UNESCO, I skimmed through a major newspaper, but found nothing about UNESCO in its articles or the TV guide.
(#) What we need to do now is perhaps to try to tell as many people as possible what specific activities we non-governmental UNESCO associations are engaged in. ?? At the editorial meeting we reconsidered the meaning of "public relations", but thinking of the world around us where war memories are fading, I somehow felt a sense of helplessness, and I asked myself why.

(H. Yoshizawa)