UNESCO Lecture “Report on the Youth Study Tour in Myanmar”
Sponsored by Meguro Board of Education / Organized by Meguro UNESCO Association
Presenters: Mari Kawaguchi, Keiko Okamura
Date: Jun.19, Tue., 2007 Venue: Nakameguro Square
The latest UNESCO Lecture was presented by a college student, Mari Kawaguchi and business person Keiko Okamura. Mari and Keiko were members of four, who visited Myanmar with youth leader, Mitsutoshi Masuda. It was a regret that Mitsutoshi and Shotaro Kimpara, a college student, weren’t able to join the lecture this time.
On Mar.1-9, 2007 they visited the former national capital, Yangon, followed by Bagan, the town of numerous pagodas, and Kyaungkone Primary School in Kyaungkone village. The tour members came back to Japan with excitement after they met Mr. Sai Non Nutt, a former Friendship member of Meguro UNESCO, who had helped to build the new school building of the primary school, and children studying in the school.
The youth members have already started discussing their future plan. The plans are, 1. Responding to a request from the children, they will start working on creating and publishing picture books (expecting cooperation from Chiho Katsuyama, picture book writer), 2. Correspondence with pupils of Kyaungkone Primary School, 3. Reporting, 4. Study tour once a year.
I see enthusiasm in Meguro UNESCO’s youth activities. Even in the past one and a half years, as I recall, Mitsutoshi’s leadership was seen in study-tours to India and Myanmar, youth seminars held in Tokyo and Nagoya, Meguro UNESCO International Exchange Summer Program, climbing Mt. Fuji, Kamakura sightseeing trip, year-end and new year party, etc. He has shown a trustworthy leadership. Another wonderful person to be noted is Keiko, a former student of “UNESCO School” for repatriates from China and their family members. She is extremely busy as a Chinese court interpreter now, but whenever we ask her, she cheerfully accepts our requests. It is our great joy to know that she will be the teacher of our Chinese conversation class starting in autumn. The future youth activities will be another excitement.