e-ShortNews

-- The world has denied Americanized globalization--

Eiji Hattori, Advisor of NPO Meguro UNESCO Association

The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions was adopted in the 33rd Session of the UNESCO General Conference on October 20th with 148 votes in favor, 2 votes (the US and Israel) against, and 2 abstentions. The Convention will formally take effect three months after being ratified by 30 countries. I interviewed Mr. Eiji Hattori, an advisor to Meguro UNESCO Association, about the significance of the Convention. I appreciate the time he spared out of his busy schedule just before leaving to attend the International Symposium on Cultural Diversity and Transversal Values, which he had organized

UNESCO enacted the World Heritage Treaty (officially named the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage) in 1972, the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity in 2001, and the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2003 as the run-up to this year’s adoption of the Convention on Cultural Diversity.
What should not be missed in the development is the change in the themes from material culture to spiritual culture. Early on, when the Abu Simbel temples were sal-vaged in the 1960’s, UNESCO considered stone culture and the authenticity of the stone*1 when designating them as a world heritage. However, in the case of the wooden cultural assets in Kyoto, Nara and other areas, authenticity of stone gave way to authenticity of form*2, which gradually made its way to the protection of intangible cultural assets that have the inherent spirit of a race. Asian and African countries supported this concept enthusiastically. Hence, the European-centered concept for the protection of world heritage has expanded in terms of substance and region. The underlying thought is the protection and promotion of the diversity of spiritual culture.
Jacques-Yves Cousteau testified the importance of di-versity at a seminar celebrating UNESCO’s fiftieth anni-versary at the United Nations University in Tokyo in 1995. The gist of his speech is the greater the number of species, the stronger the ecosystem. Where there are fewer species, like at the South Pole, the ecosystem is fragile. The same rule applies to culture also. Monoculture is fragile. If cul-tural diversity is lost, the human species will become ex-tinct. His testimony turned out to be incorporated into Arti-cle 1 of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity in 2001. At the beginning of this year’s conven-tion, the same spirit is followed and it is affirmed that cul-tural diversity is a defining characteristic of humanity.
Just after the adoption of the convention in 2001, the US decided to rejoin UNESCO. It immediately sent the WTO (World Trade Organization) delegation to the inter-governmental meeting of experts on the Preliminary Draft Convention on Cultural Diversity to reiterate its assertion of ensuring freedom of expression and market principle*3. To take but one example, 70% of TV movies in Europe are made in the US. The US movies have a market of about 6 billion people. Mr. Akira Kurosawa, a movie director, would have to make a movie with the cost calculated on the assumption that about 100 million Japanese would see the movie. It would not be easy to rank with the US movies targeting an audience of 6 billion. An uncompromising market principle and free competition have been stomping over cultures in the world like a bulldozer, against which the people of Europe, Asia and Africa have been united. The movement is behind the adoption of the convention.
That means a great many people in the world have been united to prevent market principle from taking over a world of internal, spiritual culture that values harmony. Philoso-phical change from materialism to spiritualism is the most significant achievement made by Director-General Koichiro Matsuura, who is Japanese. I hope the US will respond sincerely to the spiritual movement in the world.
(Excerpt from the interview, 31 Oct, by Yukio Okusawa)

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*1 “authenticity of the stone” : The Palace of Knossos in Crete, an island in Aegean Sea, could not be registered as a world heritage, because a room in the ruined palace was repaired with concrete. This illustrates the point that authenticity is a very important factor when designating a world heritage.
*2 “wooden buildings and world heritage “ : To take Horyuji Temple as an example, it has been repaired and restored many times after burning by a fire and deterioration from ageing. It would not have been a candidate as a world heritage based on the stone-centered concept that had been followed since the Abu Simbel temples. However, the criterion has been changed so that if the form is completely restored, a wooden cultural asset can be a candidate.
*3 The WTO (World Trade Organization) was set up in January 1995, based on an agreement at the Uruguay Round of GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade). The organization exists for the promotion of world trade and does not seem to have anything to do with the Convention on Cultural Diversity. However, just after the US returned to UNESCO, WTO members attended the intergovernmental meeting of experts on the Preliminary Draft Convention on Cultural Diversity to repeatedly make an objection. They submitted a large number of counterproposals. The American cinema industry
has been invading the world. This seems to reflect their attitude of putting a premium on national interests in agriculture (wheat, beef, and animal feed),
mining industry (crude oil), computer industry, environment (Kyoto Protocol), armaments industry (weaponry, military strength, antiterrorism strategy), etc.
The adoption of the convention means that conscience of UNESCO has denied the Americans of their policy of putting national interests first.
(The notes are written by the Public Relations Committee incorporating the opinions of Mr. Hattori and many others)

In primitive society, when people lived in the forest, storing things was essential for survival. Women looking after the house after men went hunting had to pay every attention to the amount of food still left, which presumably cultivated their instinct to store up things.
Women want more no matter how much they have at home ? almost as much as they could sell. Is their hunger for things an instinct that has been incorporated in DNA since primitive times? Or is it a reaction against the women in the older generation who have lived frugal lives? Perhaps memories of something they could not afford to buy years ago tempt them to pick up a mysterious item from bazaar treasures, without knowing why they need it now.
That was what came to my mind as I worked as a staff member of the 24th Meguro UNESCO Bazaar held at St. Paul’s Church on October 13, a beautiful autumn day.
The lunch menu, including Nepalese curry cooked by Ms. Gyanu Menandhar, chirashi sushi and cookies made by some members, was well loved.
The bazaar was held on the 2nd floor and was a great success with people of various nationalities gathering at a mountain of donated items. There was a corner of handmade brooches, where customers could also learn how to make one. We placed three donation boxes in the hall to assist Pakistan earthquake victims, and the total of 11,626 yen was kindly contributed. Proceeds from the bazaar (approximately 220,000 yen) will be used for international support such as the World Terakoya Movement.
“I deeply appreciate everyone’s cooperation that made this event an enjoyable and successful one. I’d like many of you to join with us in holding such a fair next year too,” said Ms Kimiko Shibutani, steering committee member in charge of the bazaar.
Before the bazaar, for many days, the Meguro UNESCO office was filled with donated goods just like a room scattered with toys. It was also filled with chattering voice and laughter of the volunteer staff sorting those items day after day, and when the phone rang, it was hard to hear the voice on the phone. I’d also like to add that there are regular customers who look forward to our bazaar.

- reported by Masumi Saito, PR committee

We opened a street stall at Meguro Citizens Festival “SUN Matsuri”, held at the Citizens Center on September 18. Displaying the posters of UNESCO activities, World Heritage, World Terakoya Movement, and KURURINPA (upside-down picture ? an optical illusion: turn the picture of an elephant upside down, and it soon becomes a swan), we sold plates, toys including a big stuffed bear (Winnie the Pooh), KURURINPA cards, World Heritage cards, books of “The Collection of Children’s Poems”, etc.
The first things that sold out were goods for children. Children indeed are the leading characters of any festival. I felt encouraged to realize that there are such a great number of active and lively children in Meguro. Our next target was young couples. Plates sold fairly well. There was a good demand for KURURINPA cards. As we explained the upside-down pictures, both children and adults got very interested and enjoyed looking at the cards. Though it was a long day, the stall opening at 10 a.m. and closing at 4 p.m., it was a good opportunity for us to make Meguro citizens aware of our association. We’d like to participate in the event more actively next year, making some more efforts.
Volunteers: T. Hashimoto, A. Miyashita, S. Chatani, R. Takahashi, M. Saito, S. Harada
- reported by Fumiko Harada

“Global Eyes, Local Action”
From October 27 (Thu) to 28 (Fri), more than 300 members from 44 UNESCO associations in the Kanto District gathered together in Hitachinaka City.
At the opening ceremony, Ms. Kato, president of Meguro UNESCO Association, representing the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan, made an organizer’s address referring to the issues of UNESCO extensively.
The reason the organizers chose those weekdays for the gathering was to give the participants a chance to see a treasure of the city, the Torazuka ancient tomb, which is open to the public twice a year. They chartered a bus for an optional tour to the tomb, and there was a kind on-the-spot explanation of the tomb. A keynote speech was given by Mr. Hatsushige Otsuka, a professor emeritus at Meiji University, who was engaged in an excavation of the tomb. He spoke enthusiastically and humorously about how scientists, city administrators and citizens understood each other and worked together in excavating and preserving the tomb. Because of their success in establishing a preservation method, he believes they will be able to maintain the good condition of the tomb for ages. The speech was full of valuable suggestions, because their works showed one model of UNESCO activities, incorporating “education, science and culture”.
In the afternoon of the first day and on the second day, participants split into 3 section meetings, where 19 people reported case studies. Representing our association, Vice president Fumiko Harada reported that we have been collecting miswritten postcards for eleven years with the help of elementary and junior high school students. Then, to respond to eager questions from the audience, she explained the objectives of this activity and the significance of telling children about “UNESCO’s Pledge for Peace” and the spirit of UNESCO.
Corresponding with the organizer’s intention to keep as much time as possible for reports, the participants showed their high awareness and enthusiasm through the gathering, which lasted until the closing ceremony.
- reported by Yukio Okusawa

In one evening in the middle of October, the PR Committee had a convivial meeting near Nakameguro Station, which had been an earnest desire of all members. Some of the staff of English version joined us in spite of their busy situations that always prevented the realization of a meeting and their attendance at it. It was a great opportunity for us to meet the English version members face to face, instead of just through Internet communication, which produced a vivid discussion of how to develop the Short News.
The staff of the Japanese version thanked them for their excellent translation into English with an effective editing of sentence order. As the night went on, the young members of the English version staff pointed out the important role of article headlines and proposed to add some striking features to the Short News, which all those in attendance agreed with.
Although we came to the most interesting part of the discussion and various topics were presented, we had to finish our meeting after having a photograph taken for our commemoration.
I appreciate that those members took the time to come that evening, and really look forward to seeing others next time. - reported by Moriaki Saito

(#) To my own surprise, I suddenly offered to become a member of the PR committee, when I had the chance to attend one of their meetings in October. I believe no one took it for serious then, so to prove that I really meant it I had to have my words printed. And now that I have made it clear, once and for all, I am an officially recognized member of the PR committee. My first assignment was to write the editor’s note.

(#) I have always kept in close touch with the PR Committee, as I worked for the secretariat. However, actually becoming a member of the committee was a change. I began to think more constructively. And of course, I could no longer sit quietly as an observer at the meetings with all the trustworthy but sharp-tongued members.

(#) On October 27-28 “UNESCO Activity Study Session for the Kanto District” was held in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, attracting more than 300 attendants. Five people, including myself, participated from Meguro UNESCO. The theme was “Global Eyes, Local Action”. (As for the details, please refer to the report on page 3.)

(#) My greatest pleasure there was that I got to meet many people. The fact that we were all involved in UNESCO activities somehow made me feel a sense of affinity, though I had only met most of them for the first time. At the reception dinner, I happened to sit together with members of the PR Committee of Hitachinaka UNESCO. On returning to Tokyo, I sent them quite a few copies of our 50th anniversary issue. I’m glad I have become acquainted with such a variety of people.

(#) The 50 years’ history and the outstanding achievement of Meguro UNESCO are not there to oppress us or restrict us, but there for us to be digested and to be learnt from. I wish we can continue to be ever creative and act freely to create our own future.

(F. Harada)