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Eiji Hattori, Advisor of Meguro UNESCO Association

UNESCO Clubs from all over the world will assemble in Athens, the birthplace of democracy, from 11th to 13th of July 2007 to reinaugurate the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations (WFUCA).

WFUCA was set up in Paris in 1981 and Mr. Kiyoshi Kazuno was elected as the first chairman with thunderous applause. I cannot forget the excitement of the moment. Japan hosted an overwhelmingly successful world convention in Sendai in 1984. During the conference, Mr. Takeo Kuwabara severely criticized the US for pulling out of UNESCO and warned the Japanese government, which was showing signs of following the US.

For 20 years since then, WFUCA had been on the brink of collapse due to internal rifts in the ruling circles.

It was 4 years ago that Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, Di-rector-General of UNESCO, appointed me as the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Renewal of WFUCA, hoping to save the NGO, which UNESCO itself gave birth to. I summoned all the parties concerned with the disputes to the conference. At first, even one agreement seemed impossible. However, over time, the members’ sentiment changed from confrontation to reconciliation and solidarity. Everyone came to agree with the spirit of “harmony” and “let’s talk about not the past but the future”. When I saw two leaders who had dug in their heels finally embracing each other, I felt my mission was complete and I was deeply moved. The revised Constitution of WFUCA adheres to the three principles of “Universality, Equitability, and Soli-darity”.

During the preparatory meeting held in Malta at the end of March, the leaders of each country said that Japan’s leadership played an indispensable part in the movement. This is because the “heart” of Japan does not rely on logic only. Rather, it combines knowledge, sentiment and will into one, and deems “sincerity” the highest value, which is closest to the UNESCO spirit. This is the very reason why the nongovernmental movement started in Japan. I would like the people working for UNESCO in Japan to contemplate the importance of these words.

* In connection with “heart” of Japan, Mr. Hattori contributed a soul-searching article to our association. It sheds new light on how peace and our inner beings should be in the next era. It also touches on the recent situation where science and heart have begun to communicate with each other. Please read the article that appears in the website of Meguro UNESCO Association.

February 25, 2007 (8:30-17:00). 81 participants
Sponsor: Meguro Board of Education Organizer: NPO Meguro UNESCO Association
Keiko Kajitani, director of Meguro UNESCO Association

Early in the morning, 81 people (17 foreigners, 18 children, 46 Japanese) met at Tokamori-inari Shrine. Separated into 2 buses, we departed toward Mashiko Town in Tochigi Prefecture. The 2 hours and a half we spent in Mashiko passed so quickly. We enjoyed hands-on experience in pottery painting and visiting an exhibition of Munakata Shiko (a woodblock print artist) at Tsukamoto Memorial House of Art, not to mention looking for something good for a souvenir.
Those people who had experience in pottery painting made splendid works of art (although some people were disappointed about not being able to do hand pinching). Those who did not have experience also finished their works in their own way.
When all the participants gathered together for a group photo, Maria Nemoto (8-year-old girl) handed “origami” figures she had made the day before, to the foreign participants. With her delighted face, she looked so lovely and left a strong impression in my mind.
During the 3 hour-trips to and from Mashiko, the pamphlets the public relations committee members had prepared helped us so much. Some people who did not know about the UNESCO activities offered to help us with our future activities, and some people even made reservations for the next bus tour to Yokohama.
The children on the 1st car enjoyed quizzes and singing songs conducted by Ms. Akiko Miyashita. They also had a chat with people sitting around, enjoying both international and domestic exchanges. I heard a voice saying “I loved the candies they handed out to me on the bus”!
Ms. Ivanova, a young lady from Bulgaria taught us her country’s song “a song little children sing when they wash their faces”. Original lyrics were written in Katakana on a large piece of paper, and she instructed us how to sing it, although it was difficult for me to follow. She explained to us the meanings of the song in very good Japanese.
For this trip to Mashiko, we, amateur tour guides, made our best efforts to serve the participants. I hope each one of the participants enjoyed and was satisfied with the trip. After the tour, on the way back to my house, I noticed a smell of daphnes coming from somewhere, as if it closes the pleasant day which was a little different from ordinary busy days.

Note: On March 21 more than 80 people participated in our second international friendship bus tour to Yokohama
(traditional Japanese garden Sankeien, lunch at Chinatown, Yokohama Bay cruise on the Marine Shuttle).

March 3 (Sat), 2007 / Home Economics Room of Gohongi Elementary School / About 80 participants
Yasuko Kamata, member of Meguro UNESCO Association

The 3rd activity of Exchange Salon for this fiscal year was the exchange of tastes. On March 3, the day of Hina Matsuri (Girls’ Festival Day), we held the “Cultural Exchange through the Enjoyment of Various Countries’ Dishes”. Thanks to many friendship members and regular members of Meguro UNESCO Association, we were able to prepare various kinds of dishes, such as two kinds of pasta from Italy, Samosa, Pagathi, and Chickpea Curry from India, Chijimi (flat scallion pancake), Kimbap (rice, egg, vegetables rolled in laver), and Chapche (mixed vegetables with beef) from Korea, Chai (Spicy milk tea) from Bangladesh, and Chirashizushi (vinegared rice topped with egg, fish, vegetables, etc.) from Japan. With some more dishes brought by the participants added, 9 tables were filled with delicious foods. 80 participants enjoyed eating and having conversations with each other, such as “How delicious!”, “Would you tell me how to make this?”, “In my home country, we have such dishes like so and so…”, or “I want nothing more but a glass of beer!”, and soon all the dishes were left empty.
Thanks to everyone, we finished all the events scheduled in this fiscal year. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for your cooperation. The surplus of the money raised in the programs will be donated to the World Terakoya Movement. Finally, I have to mention that the Meguro UNESCO Association sent letters of thanks to the friendship members who donated the dishes.
From April, the Exchange Salon for a new fiscal year will start. Let’s have a wonderful time together. We are always waiting for you to join us!

Attendance: 53 members (with 151 letters of attorney) May 19, Sat. (14:00 ? ), 2007, at Moriya Kyoiku Kaikan

The general assembly, favored by unexpectedly good weather after a heavy rain in the morning, was held in Room 6 of Moriya Kyoiku Kaikan. In the room were displayed thirteen panels of “World Heritage Sites in Danger” made by the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan.
After activity reports and the statement of accounts for fiscal 2006 were approved, new directors were elected for a two-year term, and the president and vice presidents were chosen by the new board members. Then the activity plan and the budget plan for fiscal 2007 proposed by the new board were approved.
Mr. Aoki, Mayor of Meguro City, Mr. Ogasawara, Director General of Meguro Board of Education, and Mr. Suzuki, a metropolitan assembly member, gave heartwarming and inspiring speeches in support of UNESCO activities.
The meeting, which ended after 3 pm, was followed by a tea party. Then Mr. Pablo Rodriguez Brizuela, Second Secretary at the Argentine Embassy, gave a lecture entitled “Charm of Argentina” as a lead in to the Argentine Fair (Meguro UNESCO is a co-host) held in various places in Meguro from May 22. Lastly, four youth members, Mitsutoshi Masuda, Keiko Okamura, Mari Kawaguchi, and Shotaro Kinpara, reported on their study tour in Myanmar. The program ended after 6 pm..
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New officers: Reiko Kato, Junko Ashida, Takashi Saito, Yasuko Hamada, Mitsuko Kato, Yoshiko Ishibashi, Masayuki Imai, Mariko Omae, Keiko Okamura, Shizuko Otaka, Yukio Okusawa, Keiko Kajitani, Yukiko Katsuoka, Liko Kanno, Setsuko Kurotani, Masumi Saito, Moriaki Saito, Yoichi Shimosato, Kimiko Shibutani, Sumio Suzuki, Yasuyuki Suzuki, Tomotaka Segawa, Yoshiko Nakajima, Tadashi Nakamura, Takeko Hashimoto, Kenichi Harada, Sadako Harada, Fumiko Harada, Michiko Hisatomi, Mitsutoshi Masuda, Keiko Matsuura, Fumiko Miyazaki, Akiko Miyashita, Noboru Mochizuki (34 people), Toyoko Sakuma, Sachiko Okada
- reported by PR Committee

Speaker: Mr. Pablo Rodriguez Brizuela, Second Secretary, Argentine Embassy in Japan

Our image of Argentina is tango, wine and soccer, but this lecture introduced to us its history, culture and other features.
Argentina is the second largest country in South America next to Brazil, and Spanish is its official language. It is a multicultural, diversified nation mainly consisting of immigrants from Spain, Italy, neighboring countries in South America, and Asia.
It has seven world heritages, and we enjoyed in a slide show the pictures of Jesuit Guarani mission ruins, the Iguazu National Park that harbors the famous Iguazu Falls, Talampaya Natural Park with its abundant fossil beds, Los Glaciares (the Glaciers) National Park that displays the grandeur of nature, etc.
I thought that Argentina, which has assimilated various cultures, can be a good model in our modern world where coexistence of different cultures is highly desired. - reported by Moriaki Saito, PR Committee

Shotaro Kimpara, youth member of Meguro UNESCO Association

Using the spring vacation, Youth members of Meguro UNESCO Association, Mitsutoshi Masuda, Keiko Okamura, Mari Kawaguchi and myself, visited Myanmar for a nine day study tour.
It began when Mari, a friend of mine, invited me to Meguro UNESCO where I learned from a student from Myanmar about his country. Since I was interested in education, I decided to support young people’s activities in Myanmar and thus joined the tour.
The objectives of the tour were: 1. assess the educational situation of Myanmar to evaluate what Meguro UNESCO can do, 2. support Mr. Sai Non Nutt, who is assisting Kyaugkone Primary School, learn about his activities and build a good relationship with the school, 3. learn about Myanmar and tell people about Japan, 4. visit the war memorial to pray for the peace.
Kyaungkone Primary School is a school which Mr. Sai Non Nutt is supporting and giving advice for its reconstruction and operation. He used to play an important role in Meguro UNESCO when he was studying in Japan. We also had an opportunity to talk with Ms. Khin Su Wah Hoke and Ms. Moe Hnin Tun, who were cooperating with Mr. Nutt, and got to know how the school was founded and its current situation. We enjoyed visiting the school, telling students about Japan and had a nice fellowship time with students and teachers.
Also, I strongly felt the importance of peace when I visited the war memorial for Japanese soldiers. The ruins of ancient Buddhist temples in Bagan led me to understand the history.
We youth members are eager to help Kyaungkone Primary School using this precious experience.