Reassuring First Step for the National Convention of UNESCO Movement
Report from Meguro UNESCO New Year Party
Date: Sat. Jan.26, 2008 12:30pm
Venue: Lunch Room of Meguro Municipal Gohongi Elementary School
In the midst of unusual cold, the New Year party of NPO Meguro UNESCO Association was held.
Various dishes brought voluntarily by members were served on the main dining table, which seemed smaller than its size. There was also a mini-bazaar corner for Bangladesh cyclone disaster relief and World Terakoya movement. 80 people were expected to come to the party but it turned out to be more than 120 people joining, and the people were squeezed in the room.
The party started with a Japanese traditional game of Fukuwarai (make-a-face game of Okame and Hyottoko). As Meguro UNESCO Association (together with the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan and Tokyo Liaison Council of UNESCO Associations) will host the National Convention of UNESCO Movement to be held at Meguro Persimmon Hall on June 7th and 8th, Ms. Kato, representing Meguro UNESCO, declared the beginning of a full-fledged preparation for the convention. The convention theme will be “You Are the One Who Creates Tomorrow’s Earth – the spirit of Mottainai (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) again”. Mr. Aoki, Mayor of Meguro City and also a member of Meguro UNESCO, made a powerful speech commenting that, “The city will make best efforts to support ‘UNESCO national convention dealing with environmental issues’ in June”. Ms. Kobayashi, the principal of Gohongi Elementary School, also commented, “A seismograph was set up in our school after the great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake. We are very eager to tackle the issue of the security and the environment.”
Following a toast and the enjoyable sharing time and delicious food, 13 children from Meguro UNESCO Junior Club “Cosmos” presented a beautiful choir of “Do-Re-Mi” and “Happy Drums”. The attendees also learned the song “Hand in Hand”, which will be a UNESCO theme song at the national convention.
The party was full of programs such as Fukuwarai at the opening, the report of Cambodia by a youth member and lucky draws, and closed at 2:30. The revenue of the mini-bazaar was more than 30,000 yen. It was a reassuring first step for the national convention.
- reported by Yoichi Shimosato, PR Committee