e-ShortNews

Masayuki Inoue, President of Japan Educational Exchanges and Services

I retired from a civil service position after 33 years or more in the year 2006. My last position was Secretary-General of the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO. After that, I worked as ambassador to Bangladesh, one of the world’s poorest countries in terms of per capita income, for 3 years or more. Since last August, I have been working at Japan Educational Exchanges and Services, which is located at the north end of Meguro City.
I am honored to have been appointed as a member of the selection committee for the ”Meguro UNESCO Action Award”, which was set up to mark the 55th anniversary of the foundation of Meguro UNESCO Association. I was only too happy to come here. It is very hard to follow through on one thing for as long as 55 years, however significant it may be. I would like to express my sincere respect and gratitude to the president and people supporting the activities.
For the last 55 years, the world has been in the midst of turbulence. There have been a start and end of the cold war, ethnic conflicts, international terrorism, an explosive population increase in developing countries, and so on and so forth. And at home, we are encountering new challenges such as a prolonged recession after an economic growth, rapid aging of the population, a low birthrate, and an increase in the foreign population. We, who are living in the present age, should be responsible for dealing with global warming, maintaining and developing the environment, and so on.
It is significant to grant the “Meguro UNESCO Action Award”, which is a fruit of the cooperation of people who sympathize with the UNESCO spirit, to children for their efforts focusing on international cooperation exchanges and environment. Although UNESCO has made every effort to adjust itself to a changing situation, adhering to the standing principles, the lofty principles stay unchanged. I firmly believe that children’s efforts made under the challenging circumstances described above will be handed over to the next generation forever as their proud achievement.
The University of London has conducted the World Happiness Survey. Bangladesh has been ranked at the top of the Survey although it is registered as one of the world’s “poorest” countries from an economic perspective, and directly affected by global warming in the form of floods, etc. Among many other reasons, Bangladesh people point out the human bond in the family and the village. The Nobel Peace Prize for 2006 was awarded to Dr. Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank, a village bank of his own founding. He saw that a village woman bought a chicken with the little money she borrowed praying for the healthy growth of her children, and that the chicken laid eggs that hatched and grew to more chickens. The doctor told me that he was sure that the project would be a success when he saw the self-help endeavor they made and the solidarity of women. It seems “Bond” means connection with people, which I think is embodied by UENSCO.
Again, I would like to extend my congratulations on your 55th anniversary.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　-translated by Hiroko Minowa

Sponsored by NPO Meguro UNESCO Association
Feb. 13 (Sat.), 2010 12:00- / Restaurant of Meguro City Office Complex / 140 attendees

Fifty-five years have passed since Meguro UNESCO Association was founded. Looking back on its history, we realize that the association has developed various activities deep-rooted in the local community. We now hope to further strengthen our ties with the community, and to have children, the next generation, inherit the UNESCO spirit. In order to give a concrete shape to our desire, we have set up the Meguro UNESCO Action Award. At first we had some concerns about how many groups would apply for the award because the application period was short. Fortunately, however, we received applications from 13 groups (from 12 schools). We were surprised to find that all those schools were engaged in wonderful activities, and were especially impressed by their steady efforts over the years.
We asked six intellectuals including the Superintendent of Meguro Board of Education to serve as judges for the Meguro UNESCO Action Award. Two schools (Meguro Municipal Midorigaoka Elementary School and Meguro Municipal Dainana Junior High School) were chosen for the award in the category of ‘environmental protection’, and two other schools (Meguro Municipal Mukaihara Elementary School and Tokyo Metropolitan Kokusai High School) in the category of ‘peace, international exchange, and cultural activities’.
Those representing the four award-winning schools received a certificate of merit and a commemorative gift at the award ceremony held at the Meguro City Office Complex on February 13.
By setting up this action award, we have come to recognize a very wide range of activities conducted by elementary, junior high and senior high school students in Meguro. We expect them to continue to work actively for the promotion of culture in the community, international exchanges, and environmental protection, in accordance with the UNESCO spirit to “construct the defenses of peace in the minds of men." We would like to express our gratitude to many people who kindly helped us with this award project.
　　　　　-written by Masako Miyashita and translated by Michiko Miyamoto

A Talk by Mr. Sai Non Nutt
(Organized by Meguro UNESCO Youth Activity Committee)
Jan. 19 (Tue.) 19:00-　　Meguro UNESCO Office / 14 attendees

In 1989 Mr. Sai Non Nutt came to study in Japan from Myanmar, and actively participated in Meguro UNESCO’s youth activities until he returned home in 2004. His first visit here since his return home gave us a chance to learn about his experience as a foreign student in Japan and his educational activities in Myanmar.

Visit to the Meguro Eco Plaza and the Waste Disposal Factory
(Meguro UNESCO Exchange Salon)
Feb. 4 (Thu.) 12:00-　　38 participants (including 21 friendship members)

The participants talked happily while making Japanese paper postcards from milk cartons at the Eco Plaza. “I’ll send this to my parents in my home country.” “I’ll use it as a pot coaster.” All of their cards turned out to be artworks in good taste!

Sponsor : Meguro Board of Education / Organizer : NPO Meguro UNESCO Association
Lecturer: Prof. Noriaki Sagara, Prof. Emeritus of Kyoto Notre Dame University, Prof. of Toin University of Yokohama
Jan. 28(Thu.), 2010 14:00- / Midorigaoka Cultural Hall / 52 attendees

Prof. Sagara first lived in Paris when he was a 5th grader, and then went to study there in his 20s. In his 30s, 40s, and 50s he lived in Paris from time to time, going back and forth between Japan and France. Showing us some slides, he first introduced the history of Paris, which smoothly acquainted the audience with the city; including myself, who has never visited Paris.
The city initially extended only as far as Cite Island, a sandbank in the Seine. Paris was named after the Celtic Parisii tribe who lived there in the 3rd century BC.
Thinking of Paris, we Japanese used to have an impression of a city admired by all sorts of artists; literary figures such as Kafu Nagai and Riichi Yokomitsu, and painters Leonard Fujita and Yuzo Saeki, all of whom were once attracted to live there. But, contrary to being “the most beautiful”, the city had long been a very unsanitary and smelly place. A ditch made in the middle of a street was a sewage path and filth was thrown into it from people’s windows. When plague prevailed, victims who were poor were simply thrown into a mass burial hole. Even the Palace of Versailles, which seems big enough to have accommodated everything, didn’t have any toilet facilities, and people used the privacy of bushes in the garden.
Several attempts to improve the situation now and then had ended in vain, and finally the city was remodeled by Baron Haussmann, Governor of the Department of Seine including Paris, at the time of Napoleon III in the mid 19th century. These changes included: 1. construction of main streets, 2. making additional parks and squares, 3. restoration of buildings, 4. making waterworks and sewerage system, and 5. installing outdoor lamps. All these efforts set the foundation of the beautiful city we see today.
At present, 1% of the national budget is earmarked for culture. In addition, 1% of the construction costs for new buildings is to be spent on things that are not merely functional parts of those buildings. Valuing practicality may be a step to civilization, but the French tend to find worth in something that seems useless at first and think culture exists in the uselessness. Prof. Sagara concluded his lecture by saying “The dignity of the nation exists in this sense of value.” I was highly impressed by the lecturer with his deep insight toward his study of culture.
　　　　　-written by Atsuko Shimizu and translated by Nobuko Matsushita

Sponsor : Meguro Board of Education / Organizer : NPO Meguro UNESCO Association
Lecturer: Prof. Tsuneo Yoshimizu (Art historian)
January 29(Fri), 2010 14:00-　/ Midorigaoka Cultural Hall / 52 attendees

Prof. Yoshimizu is researching archaeological finds including gold swords, crowns, accessories, glassware and glass balls, which have been excavated at the site of the Silla Kings’ tombs, located at Gyeongiu City in the Korean Peninsula, used during the 4th~5th centuries. Showing us various photos in PowerPoint, he presented factual evidence that the culture of ancient Rome in the west of Eurasia had already spread to the east end of the continent. For example, a gold crown found there, decorated with agate comma-shaped beads, was typical of a crown of ancient Rome with tree branch-like ornaments; an excavated golden sword was decorated with comma-shaped emblems of the Celt from the river Danube; and some gold necklaces, bracelets, and rings with designs in common with those of Italy. From his viewpoint as an art historian, the presentation was very persuasive and impressive.
Roman culture had been introduced all the way to Silla from the area of what is now Bulgaria and Romania, along the river Danube, through the northern part of the Crimean peninsula, across the continent using the route now followed by the Trans-Siberian Railway, on to Datong, which was the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty, along the River Hwang Ho, and down to Pyongyang. This route, a path for equestrian people, was used instead of the Silk Road. After the mid 6th Century, however, the route was disrupted due to chaos in Rome and Persian goods were subsequently brought to Silla through China.
Although the above theory hasn’t been recognized for years by mainstream academy, it has lately been reviewed. Moreover, Prof. Yoshimizu told us that KBS TV in South Korea was planning to broadcast the cultural relationship between Silla and Rome in February.
Afterwards a couple of questions were asked, and it really was an enthusiastic seminar.
　　　　　-written by Shigeru Tamesue and translated by Sumiko Hattori