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Takashi Saito, Vice President, Meguro UNESCO Association

We will be reflecting on this past year to make a resolution for next year when this article is printed. Every December, out of sheer habit, I make New Year’s resolutions, only to be broken. However, eyeing next year’s big event, I am bracing myself for fulfilling my vow.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the world’s first foundation of a nongovernmental UNESCO asso-ciation in Japan, and next year, we have the 64th na-tional convention of UNESCO movements to be held in Meguro Persimmon Hall, our home territory.

The theme of the convention is “You Are the One Who Creates Tomorrow’s Earth – the spirit of Mottainai (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) again”. The theme reflects our determination to take another look at our age.

Our invaluable earth takes on a very serious aspect now. People are feeling considerable anxiety every day. Although there are various theories about the cause of these problems, it is generally agreed that human activi-ties are mainly responsible for the problems. Back in 1971, the Club of Rome published the report “Limits to Growth”, which said the problems of earth resource and population explosion would pose a crisis for human beings.

The United Nations launched “United Nations Dec-ade of Education for Sustainable Development” as “educational efforts for sustaining the earth for the fu-ture”. This is to make us realize that we are living in relation with the people of the world, future generations and the environment, and to encourage us to make ef-forts for the creation of a better society.

Taking these things into consideration, we can say that next year will be a very significant year for Meguro UNESCO Association. To accomplish such a big un-dertaking, we need the support and cooperation not only from the members but also from citizens in general. I would appreciate visitors coming from all over Japan and abroad.

(Note) United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development: Started in the year 2005 after the UN General Assembly passed a resolution proposed by Japan in Johannesburg Summit in 2002.

-Commemorating 60th Anniversary of Non-governmental UNESCO Movement in Japan-

“All different, all just right”
--- Aiming at realizing a multicultural society ---
September 1 (Sat.) and 2 (Sun.), 2007,
at Yamaguchi Citizens’ Hall, Main Auditorium

For the convention commemorating the 60th anniversary of non-governmental UNESCO Movement in Japan, the auditorium was filled with 850 people – members of UNESCO associations from 43 prefectures, guests and visitors, including 12 members from Meguro UNESCO.
As the executive meeting of the Asian-Pacific Federation of UNESCO Clubs and Associations was held at the same time, guests from China, Korea, Thailand, India, Vietnam, Nepal, Mongolia, Bangladesh and Russia, all of them in their ethnic costumes, also attended the opening ceremony. It suited very well with the opening of the convention of UNESCO, whose idea is to pursue world peace.
On the first day, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, made a special speech titled, “For the 60th Anniversary of Non-governmental UNESCO Movement”. Then, a keynote speech titled “Kaneko Misuzu – Universe in Mind” was made by Mr. Setsuo Yazaki, an author of children’s books as well as Director of Kaneko Misuzu Memorial Museum. Afterwards, a symposium “Realization of a Multicultural Society and UNESCO Movement” was held. We had Mr. Masanori Aoyagi, Director of the National Museum of Western Art as the coordinator, and Ms. Charmine Koda, Director of the UN Information Center in Japan, Mr. Eiji Hattori, Chargé de mission to the Executive Office of the Director-General of UNESCO and Mr. Masatake Matsuda, President of the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan (NFUAJ) as the panelists.
Ms. Reiko Kato, a vice president of NFUAJ, announced new principles of activities (“Actions for Culture of Peace” was newly added to the “World Terakoya Movement” and “World Heritage Preserving Activities”), and also a new logo.
On the second day, the attendants separated into 4 sub meetings. Those were “UNESCO movement to link generations”, “World Terakoya movement to spread to local communities”, “Activities for sustainable future of the earth”---in every meeting, attendants exchanged opinions enthusiastically. The 4th meeting was “Local heritage with the concept of world heritage preservation --- let’s learn from Ouchi culture”, and the participants visited the national treasure, Five-Storied Pagoda of Rurikoji Temple.
The convention’s main theme, “All different, all just right” was taken from a poem by a poet named Kaneko Misuzu. I found the essence of her poetry here and there in the programs of this convention.
In the closing ceremony, the participants from Tokyo, a host city for the next year’s convention, stood in line on the stage, the youth members making a unique appeal to all the attendants to meet again in June.
- reported by Michiko Hisatomi, PR Committee

Speaker: Hou Shu Qian, Court Interpreter, Director of MIFA
2007.9.12 (Wed) 18:30〜20:00 at Sakura Plaza
Sponsored by Meguro Board of Education Organized by Meguro UNESCO Association

Ms. Hou studied Japanese Culture and Chinese Culture through a post graduate course at both Waseda University and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. She came to Japan as a student and has been living in Tokyo for twenty years. Ever since her arrival in Japan, her interest in Japanese culture and language has never waned. She was the most appropriate speaker to talk about the keys to international exchange. She pointed out what Japanese lack in such fields and what they should learn. The following is a summary of her speech.
A Chinese proverb says, “Take the good points of others to fill in where you are lacking.” Historically, that was how Japanese formed their culture, from the time Ganjin came to Japan to preach Buddhism and more recently, since the arrival of Western culture. And at present, exchange of culture is being promoted at a grass-roots level through individual interaction. Considering this, what Japanese people can offer the world is not insignificant, and Ms. Hou shared with us her experiences as a director of a cultural exchange group.
Japanese are homogeneous people, therefore, they tend to lean towards “mental telepathy” rather than express themselves. It could be a virtue, but even when they do something good, they don’t say so. Japanese lack ability to express and present themselves to others. At her exchange group, non-Japanese introduce themselves and their own culture with enthusiasm. But Japanese, whether they are trying to be humble or not, are hesitant to talk about themselves or their culture, saying there is not much to tell. From the foreign people’s point of view, they join the group to get to know more about Japan and the people. It can’t be interesting for them just to come and talk about themselves, and they won’t feel inclined to come again. It is crucial to study one’s own culture, understand it and let others know about it. In doing so, we will come to understand and respect the culture of other people. With such acceptance, first, we can exchange our experiences and thoughts. Secondly, we can establish a more intimate relationship. This is real international exchange.
- reported by Tadashi Nakamura, Training Program Committee

2007 10.29 19:00〜 at Meguro Persimmon Hall
Sponsored by: Meguro UNESCO Association
Co-sponsored by: Meguro Foundation of Art and Culture,
Meguro Board of Education
Supported by: National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan,
Tokyo Liaison Council of UNESCO Associations,
Meguro City,
Meguro Ward PTA of Elementary Schools
Players: Yoko Urata Fog/Piano
Holger Groh/Violin
Tomas Vinklat/Violin
Robert Bauerstatter/Viola
Joergen Fog/Cello
Program: Haydn’s String Quartet in D major “The Lark”, Op.64, No.5
Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A major, KV 414 (co-played with Ohta-ku Haydn Chamber Orchestra)
Dvorak’s Piano Quintet in A major, Op.81

Again this year, we were happy to welcome the members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Those fans who had looked forward to that day, quickly filled up the seats. There were also two hundred invited guests of children representing the next generation and many other parents with-child in the audience.
Haydn’s String Quartet, “The Lark” was played jauntily and delicately, and twenty-five strings surrounding the piano expressed Mozart’s profound tones. The last piece was the one by Dvorak conveying an ethnic melody. The colorful program certainly grasped the hearts of audience and the big applause seemed to last forever after the two encores which overwhelmed everyone.
Yoshio Shimizu, PR Committee

Dates: Sept. 17 (Mon.) – 22 (Sat.), 2007
Place: Siem Reap Province, Cambodia
Participants: 23 from 9 UNESCO associations
Shotaro Kinpara, youth member of Meguro UNESCO Association

From Meguro UNESCO Association three of us, Masumi Saito, Mitsutoshi Masuda, and myself, were chosen as UNESCO Movement Promotion Committee members. Mr. Masuda, however, was not able to participate in the study tour to Cambodia due to unavoidable circumstances.
On Oct. 19, after returning home, I visited Iwate Prefectural Daito High School in the capacity of a member of the UNESCO Movement Promotion Committee, and talked in front of the whole school of 450 students about the “Terakoya” community learning center (CLC) in Kok Srok Village, which had left a deep impression on me. Thefollowing is a summary of what I said.
The Terakoya CLC in Kok Srok is aiming at “management without relying on assistance from others”. What approach will make it possible for them to run their center “without relying on assistance”? In fact there are two methods they are using (or rather, trying to use). One is “microcredit” – lending money to villagers at low rates so that they can utilize the interest they will receive later to run the center. The other is “vocational training”, which is still in the planning stage: when a person trained at the center to become a barber starts on his own, he will be expected to give a certain percentage of his income to the center.
This CLC was opened only recently in July this year. Yet the enthusiasm of its steering committee members and the cooperative attitudes of villagers made me believe that their dream of running the center without assistance would come true in the not-too-distant future.
Cambodia depends on international aid for most of its national budget. They rely on assistance even to protect people’s lives from landmines and unexploded bombs. CLC aiming at self-support could be a clue to the self-sustaining development of Cambodia.
I hope the spirit of self-reliance will prevail in Cambodia. It will certainly take time. I have learned in this study tour that Terakoya is not merely a place to teach how to read and write or to serve as a library and a meeting hall, but it could also serve as a starting point for the development of their country.