tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2010:/e-ShortNews//4 2010-01-31T12:41:58Z Movable Type 3.2-ja-2 tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2010:/e-ShortNews//4.397 2010-01-12T18:28:09Z 2010-01-31T12:41:58Z

Reiko Kato, President of Meguro UNESCO A...

unesco Reiko Kato, President of Meguro UNESCO Association The sun rises and time passes equally for everyone, as we greet a new year. I sincerely wish you all peace in this year. Meguro UNESCO Association, established in 1954, has its 55th anniversary this year fulfilling the aspiration of our predecessors for a UNESCO movement. In connection with this, we have set up the "Meguro UNESCO Action Award" and are now calling for candidates. The award is to honor young people in Meguro who have been actively devoted to the UNESCO spirit and its activities, directly or indirectly, in the hope for their healthy growth and the expansion of the activities. Specifically, private and public schools in Meguro City that are engaged in volunteer activities to protect the local environment, international cooperation and exchanges, and so on, have been invited to apply for the award. It is true that we have some concern about how well young people and school officials understand the project because this is a new initiative, and the application period is short. But we have proceeded with the project anyway, receiving support from local government, the local institutions concerned, and various other organizations. The closing date for application is January 25th. I would like to ask for everyone's cooperation. (Please visit the website of Meguro UNESCO Association for more details) On November 20th, ten organizations were accepted to enter the first "Future Heritage Project" organized by the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan. In the Tokyo district, the project called "Let's Enhance IKI* Culture in Kagura-zaka" has been registered. On the same day, "Father Sadaharu Oh and His Daughter Rie's Super Talk Show" was held at the Persimmon Hall in Meguro where a lot of local residents gathered. Together with the Mayor of Meguro City, I appeared on the stage representing Meguro UNESCO Association and Meguro International Friendship Association (as seen in the picture). The theme of the show was environmental issues. In line with the theme, I made a speech about the "UNESCO World Terakoya Movement", making a point that the Terakoya Movement will produce environmentally conscious people in the long-run, and that people living in Meguro are contributing to making the earth sustainable through various activities such as "Miswritten Postcard Collections", a bazaar, and a concert. The guests of the show were Mr. Sadaharu Oh (the chairman of the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks) and Rie (who acts as Meguro City¡Çs Ecology and Health Messenger). That evening, I felt a deep respect for Mr. Oh's sincere way of life. I was also attracted by Rie's charming and likable personality. I encountered a phrase "Earth, Environment, and Peace" along a street in Marunouchi. I would like to add "Hope and Dream" to that phrase. We will proceed with the movement with tomorrow in mind. Fifty-five years have passed since its foundation and as the organization grows, there will be more challenges. There is a tremendous amount of administrative work and I am most grateful to those who manage the organization. This year, I hope we can share the happiness of working hand in hand based on the common UNESCO spirit, participating in enjoyable, energetic, if at times challenging and hard, activities. * IKI culture was developed in the late Edo period. IKI can be translated as urbane, chic, or stylish. -translated by Hiroko Minowa ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2010:/e-ShortNews//4.396 2010-01-12T18:25:03Z 2010-01-31T12:38:24Z

Sponsored by Meguro Board of Education /...

unesco ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2010:/e-ShortNews//4.395 2010-01-12T18:19:14Z 2010-01-31T12:32:40Z

Discussion: Ms. Yoshino Oishi and Prof. ...

unesco Discussion: Ms. Yoshino Oishi and Prof. Eiji Hattori Sponsored by NPO Meguro UNESCO Association, Meguro Board of Education Lecturers: Ms. Yoshino Oishi, Photojournalist, recipient of many prizes including the Domon Ken Award; Prof. Eiji Hattori, Scholar of the Comparative Study of Civilizations, Adviser to Meguro UNESCO Association October 23(Fri), 2009 18:30- / Meguro City Office Main Conference Room / 120 participants Part 1: Slideshow of 60 photographs (commentary by Ms. Oishi) ¡ÈI want you to take a look at those children, driven to the very bottom of society by government violence, and imagine how they feel everyday. I want you to know that there are children who are deeply hurt and still have to live in despair under the same sun that is peacefully enjoyed by the Japanese. Can you really accept this reality, that those weakest of the weak, babies and babies in mothers¡Ç wombs, are the victims of misgovernment?¡É Ms. Oishi calmly stated the situation with her photos which explained the despair even more vividly. Tears never cease to flow. The tragic inheritance from the war 30 years ago left incalculable misery among the people. A mother who lost her daughter through an accident with an unexploded shell, a boy who lost his father who had been shot seven times in his face yet still tried to save his family, and a young girl whose fingers were deformed by an accident. All the faces in the photos were telling us not only their actual losses but also the incurable wounds deep in their hearts. We are asked to take time to think about those people in Vietnam, Laos, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Chernobyl, etc. who were on the other side of her lens. Part 2: A talk by Prof. Eiji Hattori Prof. Hattori first commented that the photos of Ms. Oishi were peaceful and calm. Supported by his worldwide activities and experiences, he talked about how this world has been moving, and stated his historical views. What took place in Asia in 1979? After the Vietnam War, the US troops were withdrawn from Asia, and Vietnam defeated the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia, the truth about which none in the world had known. And the Soviet Union, which had been supporting Vietnam, invaded Afghanistan. The Islamic revolution in Iran also started then. The National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan started an educational support, which later led to the Terakoya movement, at Cambodian refugee camps in Thailand. At Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan, schools of the Koran were started by the support of Saudi Arabia, and the Islamic theology students, the Taliban, that later on became very controversial, were born. Histories are linked to one another in certain aspects. A rotten structure is inherent in power, and the power steers to a tragic massacre of war once the instinct of destruction awakes. In order to realize a peaceful world there are so many things left for us to deal with as a grass-root UNESCO movement. At the end, Ms. Oishi concluded the discussion by saying that as a thrown pebble makes ripples spread, through her photos she wants to make ripples in people¡Çs heart and wishes to have a peaceful world where all the children can talk about their own dreams. We thanked the lecturers who had given us a couple of impressive and intensive hours on this vital subject and gave them a big round of applause at the end. -written by Masumi Saito and translated by Nobuko Matsushita ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2010:/e-ShortNews//4.394 2010-01-12T18:15:21Z 2010-02-12T11:17:15Z

Sponsored by Meguro UNESCO Association C...

unesco Program Liszt: ¡ÈDream of Love¡É, Bizet: from ¡ÈCarmen¡É, Granados: ¡ÈSpanish Dance¡É, Debussy: ¡ÈMoonlight¡É, and others. -written by Takako Hayashi and translated by Keiko Matsuura ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2010:/e-ShortNews//4.393 2010-01-12T18:00:48Z 2010-01-31T12:14:54Z

Nov. 21 (sat.), 2009 12:00 - / Lunchroom...

unesco ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2009:/e-ShortNews//4.378 2009-10-14T06:13:32Z 2009-11-21T06:20:54Z

Mitsutoshi Masuda, Vice President of Meg...

unesco Mitsutoshi Masuda, Vice President of Meguro UNESCO Association The fifth Meguro UNESCO International Exchange Summer Youth Program, a major event of youth activities, was a great success. My first encounter with UNESCO was through the Meguro UNESCO International Friendship Youth Retreat, a predecessor to the Summer Youth Program. That was in the summer of 1995. In the spring of the same year, I transferred to Tokyo to attend university. For me it was very exciting to see many young Japanese and foreigners gather and exchange opinions. I also felt they were all a warm family. Since then, I have been involved in youth activities in Meguro UNESCO Association, although I had to stay away for some time. While in school, I was busy with study and research. Since becoming employed, I have also been busy dealing with work. It is boring just to study and work, so I have been trying to find time to participate in UNESCO activities. I would like to be of some help to society in areas other than my line of work. Youth activities in Meguro UNESCO Association have ups and downs over time, just like the economy. Now, they seem to be on a rising note and in good condition. I hope we can improve on the activities together with new participants. Recently, the activities have extended beyond the Association. To cite some examples; in March, Ms. Hanae Nishimura visited Cambodia on a study tour organized by the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan. In April, five youth members of our Association joined the UNESCO Youth Study Tour in Gunma hosted by the Tokyo Liaison Council of UNESCO Associations. Ms. Eri Hojo, who played an active part as a leader in this year's Summer Youth Program, is undertaking a one-year training program for membership of the Nongovernmental UNESCO Movement Promotion Committee. In September, she will visit a Terakoya Movement site in Cambodia. Furthermore, all over the country, we see more progress being made in setting an organization to connect youth members with each other. This is in accordance with a new article of incorporation announced in a general assembly of National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan held in June. The article says an organization to bring youth members together shall be organized and board members shall be elected from that organization too. I was glad when I heard a first-time participant in this year's Summer Youth Program say that they had a good time because everybody was very kind and warm just like a family. I hope when we engage in UNESCO activities, we cherish each encounter with a person, caring for them as if they were a family member, even if the organization has expanded to offer a wider range of activities we can engage in. -translated by Hiroko Minowa ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2009:/e-ShortNews//4.377 2009-10-14T06:09:06Z 2009-11-21T06:20:27Z

Great Success! TURUGI¡ÁChant de YAMATO e...

unesco Great Success! TURUGI¡ÁChant de YAMATO et Dance de Sabre Performed by the members of O-Getsu Ryu Sword Dance School Sponsored by Meguro Board of Education / Presented by NPO Meguro UNESCO Association Date&Time: June 17(Wed) 19:30¡Á / Place: Meguro Persimmon Hall (Small Hall) Before the performance the President of Meguro UNESCO Ass., Mrs. Kato welcomed the audience and Mr. Eiji Hattori, Advisor, introduced the group of O-Getsu Ryu Sword Dance School explaining how they got to perform at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris last year. He related that as soon as he heard there was a young group of people performing an interesting O-Getsu Ryu Sword Dance, he immediately went to see the performance and was very much impressed by their stage which recreated the original atmosphere of Japan. The girls¡Ç fashion in Shibuya and Manga are known worldwide as a culture created by Japanese young people but the dancers¡Ç performance was an eye-opener for him to recognize that there were other young people challenging Japanese tradition. Intending to introduce such a group to the world, he appealed to the Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Japan to UNESCO and other related people, and finally their performance was realized at the Headquarters. From curtain-up at seven-thirty, breath-taking performances were given on the stage. The main performer was the head of O-Getsu Ryu, Ms. Mihoko Kamiya, whose grandmother had handed down Shinto rituals, which were incorporated into the performance. The unique melody of ¡ÈYamato-uta¡É sung with airy voice and powerful sword dances by Ms. Kamiya and the co-stars, showed us various themes expressing ancient Japanese aesthetics of wind, moon, cherry blossom, etc. The evening¡Çs program consisted of 14 parts, all of which combined traditional motions and modern stage technology, evident in each sword dance sequence. The costumes varied from the traditional Japanese attire of Shinto priests and shrine maidens, to modern Westernized dress. Piercing cheers, fast and powerful movements, interspersed with tranquility from which one could even hear the breathing of the performers, were skillfully balanced out in the sword dance. The audience was very much impressed by the performing art that had overcome the boundary of culture and language, and grasped the hearts of the young people by introducing highly traditional Japanese culture. No wonder that their performance at the Headquarters last year received unprecedented praise from delegates of over 100 countries. I sincerely hope O-Getsu-Ryu stays active in the future as well. The audience of that night were people from various embassies, people taking Meguro UNESCO Japanese language classes and many other people from overseas, as well as residents of Meguro, fans of O-Getsu, and Meguro UNESCO people. The 200 seats of the hall were totally filled. The applause lasted for a long time after the curtain fell. It was also rewarding to see that there were many friendship circles among the audience and the performers, between and after the performances, in the lobby. -written by Shigeru Tamesue and translated by Nobuko Matsushita ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2009:/e-ShortNews//4.376 2009-10-14T06:07:19Z 2009-11-21T06:20:08Z

Sponsored by NPO Meguro UNESCO Associati...

unesco ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2009:/e-ShortNews//4.375 2009-10-14T06:05:43Z 2009-11-21T06:19:26Z

¡ÈUNESCO Associated School in Ekaterinbur...

unesco ¡ÈUNESCO Associated School in Ekaterinburg, Russia¡É Sponsor: Meguro Board of Education Organizer: NPO Meguro UNESCO Association Speaker: Ms. Coline Hattori, Former Lecturer at Athenee Francais June 4 (Thu), 2009 18:30 ~ at Sakura Plaza / Attendees: 58 Ms. Coline Hattori, who inspected UNESCO associated schools in Russia together with her husband Mr. Eiji Hattori (Advisor to Meguro UNESCO Association) last year, began to talk about her impressions of the visit, speaking with a smile, mixing French and Japanese. Students from elementary to high school study together in this school in Siberia, said to be ¡Èin the middle of the ice¡É for half a year. In this village the most impressive building is their UNESCO associated school. The most surprising thing was that the children were really energetic and lively. School is from 8am to 7pm. From 3pm the classes are devoted to art education, for example ballet and drama, and Ms Hattori said she was truly moved by their high level of study. She said she definitely wanted to show the success rate of the children who, under strict guidance, were cheerfully striving at their lessons, to parents who are worried about child-raising. She said that Japan and Western countries have various concerns about child-raising, but the starting point for raising children is found in this school. On the other hand Ms. Hattori also talked about the ideal education that the children receive in the incredible environment at the UNESCO associated school in Ekaterinburg, a sizable city rich in natural resources. These students are the crème de la crème who have successfully passed the cut-throat entrance examination (acceptance rate is one out of seventy), and they carry the future of Russia on their shoulders. They are skilled in languages, and of course here too they are active in art education. Not sparing money when it comes to culture and art is a national characteristic, and she said she was really touched by that artistic nature! In addition, tuition is completely free. Presently Russia has around 300 UNESCO associated schools. Japan has also at last begun to put serious efforts into spreading this education system. Of course it is impossible to compare with a country where everything is paid for from public funds. However, isn¡Çt there some value to listening to the opinion that as they complete art education, students¡Ç academic ability also grows? In the last half Mr. Hattori joined in, sharing many interesting anecdotes of their exchanges with the local people and showing slides. The lecture was such a success that there were even people standing, and people¡Çs high level of interest was seen. -written by Takako Hayashi and translated by Emiko Nishimura ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2009:/e-ShortNews//4.374 2009-10-14T05:59:31Z 2009-11-21T06:19:45Z

¡ÈGo hand in hand! – the way to mak...

unesco ¡ÈGo hand in hand! – the way to make world peace is understanding different cultures¡É August 14(Fri.)-16(Sun.), 2009 / 51 participants from 10 countries / YMCA Tozanso, Gotenba Sponsored by NPO Meguro UNESCO Association / Supported by Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), Japan Educational Exchanges and Services, Meguro City, Meguro Board of Education, Meguro International Friendship Association, and National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan (*This project has received NFUAJ subsidy to promote grassroots activities) Misaki Nishikawa, youth member of Meguro UNESCO Association. The season of Summer Youth Program has come. The theme was decided as ¡ÈGo hand in hand! – the way to make world peace is understanding different cultures¡É, in accordance with the Preamble to the UNESCO Constitution ; ¡È¡Ä ignorance of each other's ways and lives has been a common cause, throughout the history of mankind, of that suspicion and mistrust between the peoples of the world¡Ä¡É. On the first day, first of all, we walked, picking up litter from Subashiri Entrance of Mt. Fuji to Kofuji. After that, we enjoyed the game ¡ÈKURURINPA - trick picture¡É as ice-breaking and clapped hands, admiring each other¡Çs idea. On the 2nd day, we began the program with thinking ¡ÈWhat is culture?¡É, and experienced, through role-play, the embarrassment or problem which could occur between different cultures and thoughts, then considered cross-cultural understanding. In another program, each group tried to invent an original festival, and on the last day, each group presented it and we voted for the best one. During a ¡ÈRed vs. White¡É athletic contest, everyone earnestly played a hopping game and a three-legged race. And at the camp-fire, we enjoyed singing songs from many countries, dancing and games. Even in the free time, we played basketball or ¡ÈBlob Tag¡É game. People of various ages, from various countries, gathered for this event, and there was a warm communication as a big family. I do hope we continue to be friends in the future, remembering the song ¡ÈTo be a friend¡É that we sang hand in hand at the closing ceremony. Lastly, I want to say thanks to every participant. The success of this Summer Youth Program is attributed to their cooperation. Thank you very much. -translated by Mami Kawaguchi ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2009:/e-ShortNews//4.361 2009-07-20T07:42:30Z 2009-07-20T09:35:42Z

WE LOVE MEGURO Reiko Kato, President of ...

unesco WE LOVE MEGURO Reiko Kato, President of Meguro UNESCO Association ¡ÈI visited your house when I was a child!¡É said a woman out of the blue. She is a staff member at Meguro City Office in charge of ¡ÈWe Love Meguro 2009 – Road Cleanup along the Meguro River¡É (organized by Tokyo Meguro Rotary Club). I said, ¡ÈOh...Did you join in the ghost event, by any chance?¡É She replied, ¡ÈYes, I did...it was very scary...¡É. We shared the ¡Èdays long past¡É in an instant. We recalled a scene from an event held as part of an annual summer tradition organized by a children¡Çs association called ¡ÈSunflower Group¡É. The event continued for 17 years from around 1955 in my house that was opened to children. When night fell, children walked around the neighborhood in the dark. When they came to the garden, a ¡Èghost¡É appeared. That was actually an older child who pulled a white cloth over his head. When children were passing under a willow in the backyard, cold jelly-like konjaku came down toward them. The gathering held twice a month throughout the year was planned and managed by children themselves. At one time, cheers from more than 60 children resounded throughout the house. In those days, they affectionately called my parents ¡ÆAuntie¡Ç and ¡ÆUncle¡Ç, and they called me their ¡ÆBig sister¡Ç. In retrospect, that was the first time I engaged in a community activity. Incidentally, I came to be involved in Meguro Board of Education as an instructor at ¡ÉOpen School for Youth¡É (night school), which was meant for young people fresh from high school. They came to Tokyo en mass from rural areas to work. On April 18th, the curtain went up for the 55th anniversary of the foundation of Meguro UNESCO Association thanks to the hard work of its predecessors. A new board of directors started its activity in unity with a strong determination to hand over UNESCO movements to the next generation with the support of activity committee chairs. What can we do for the future in line with the action policy (i.e. develop community-based activities and at the same time, transmit messages to the world)? What will be needed? How effectively should limited financial resources be used in a volunteer organization? Above all, what role should each member play to further expand UNESCO movements? In addition, this year marks the fifth year since Meguro UNESCO Association, as an incorporated nonprofit organization, was born from a voluntary organization. It is time to review the articles of incorporation, detailed rules and others. There is a mountain of other tasks to do and they are heavy. I sincerely ask members for corporation. This year, let us engage more in local activities including local heritage, environmental issues, educational and cultural activities, etc., mainly working on young people to hand down the UNESCO movements to future generations. I am sure that the ¡Èmovement in a region on Earth, though small in scale¡É eyeing the whole world will be functioning as a wave for world peace. -translated by Hiroko Minowa ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2009:/e-ShortNews//4.360 2009-07-20T07:36:27Z 2009-07-20T10:01:08Z

Report on the 5th General Assembly of ...

unesco Report on the 5th General Assembly of Meguro UNESCO Association
April 18 (Sat), 2009, from 14¡§00, at Meguro School Support Center Attended by 190 members (among them 137 were letters of attorney)

Reiko Kato, Noboru Mochizuki, Akiko Miyashita, Mitsutoshi Masuda, Masumi Saito ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2009:/e-ShortNews//4.359 2009-07-20T07:34:30Z 2009-07-20T10:03:22Z

Study Tour in Cambodia UNESCO/Japan Fun...

unesco Study Tour in Cambodia

UNESCO/Japan Funds-in-Trust for the Promotion of International Cooperation and Mutual Understanding
Mar. 26 to Apr. 5, 2009
Participant: Hanae Nishimura, 2nd year student of Denenchofu Futaba High School
After the general assembly, Hanae Nishimura, a youth member of Meguro UNESCO Association, made a presentation¡¡on the Cambodian study tour (organized by the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan), in which she recently participated. Her presentation lasted for about 15 minutes and she talked earnestly about her experiences and her thoughts. She included witnessing the poverty in Cambodia and learning about the history of its tragic civil wars. She also mentioned the friendly interaction with the Cambodian students and children of Terakoya community learning centers.
Participants at the assembly listened to her presentation attentively and questions were asked enthusiastically afterwards.
We expect our youth members to continue to enjoy many activities.
-written and translated by Emiko Nishimura

]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2009:/e-ShortNews//4.358 2009-07-20T07:24:03Z 2009-07-20T09:41:38Z

Meguro UNESCO Japanese Classes Awarding ...

unesco Meguro UNESCO Japanese Classes Awarding ¡ÈKURURINPA upside-down stuffed animals¡É to students with perfect attendance Masumi Saito, Teaching staff member of Japanese Classes I am always touched by the way senior members of Meguro UNESCO manage classes earnestly One day, when an exchange gathering at the end of the winter term was held, there was a surprise gift of flower bouquet from Class A (beginners¡Ç class) students. The teachers couldn¡Çt hold back their tears. Language teachers like us could be one of the first Japanese that some friendship members meet after coming to this country. Struggling with the language barrier, we try our best leading the class by eye-contact, hand signs and gestures. Three months soon fly. Some of the friendship members leave Japan, expressing ¡Èthank you¡É and ¡Ègood-bye¡É. We wonder who would come for spring class which will commence in April. Such exchanges have been witnessed for more than 20 years. There are 3 Japanese courses: twice a week morning course (Tue. & Thu.), Tuesday evening course, and Saturday morning course. Each course is divided to 7 levels. There are also Kanji (Chinese character) classes of 7 levels. Students can learn basic Japanese in two years through these courses. Also, students with perfect attendance or good attendance are rewarded. During this term, among 164 total students, 18 students attained perfect attendance and 21 were recognized for good attendance. KURURINPA upside-down stuffed animals were presented (*) to these students. The photo was taken in Tue/Thu class. Looking at these beautiful smiles, with my appreciation and friendly feelings for them, I hope that they will love Japan more, and hope to pray together for the peace of the world. * KURURINPA upside-down picture postcard conveys the message, ¡ÈWe want to change ¡ÆI cannot go to school¡Ç to ¡ÆI can go to school¡Ç¡É. KURUINPA stuffed animals were created by the cooperation of Dentsu Group. The profit of these stuffed animals will be donated to World Terakoya Movement of UNESCO. For further information, please contact Meguro UNESCO Office. -translated by Ikuko Imamura ]]> tag:www.meguro-unesco.com,2009:/e-ShortNews//4.357 2009-07-20T07:21:07Z 2009-07-20T09:43:26Z

What¡Çs it like at UNESCO in Paris? Repor...

unesco What¡Çs it like at UNESCO in Paris? Report from an Internship at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris Lecturer: Ms. Aya Miyazaki (Youth member of Kamakura UNESCO Association) Present Moves at UNESCO Lecturer: Prof. Eiji Hattori (Professor at Reitaku University, Chargé de Mission to the Executive Office of the Director-General of UNESCO, Adviser to Meguro UNESCO Association) May 16 (Sat.), 2009 13:30- at Lunch Room of Gohongi Elementary School / Attendees: 38 Mami Kawaguchi, Youth member of Meguro UNESCO Association A long awaited lecture was given by two lecturers. One was Aya Miyazaki who experienced an internship at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from last August to September. The other was Prof. Eiji Hattori, who had been active as Chargé de Mission to the Executive Office of the Director-General of UNESCO. Many attended so as not to miss this great opportunity. What Ms. Miyazaki had learned from her experience were; 1) Working at an international organization especially requires self-discipline and a sense of responsibility. 2) Mastering foreign languages (esp. English and French) as a tool is compulsory. 3) Knowledge of the social and human structure of UNESCO. 4) Japanese need to train themselves to be more sociable and fluent in foreign languages, and our geographical distance from other countries seems to create psychological distance as well. In order to work at UNESCO, it is necessary for us to be sociable, positive, responsible, professional, able and fluent in foreign languages. Prof. Hattori, who spoke after Ms. Miyazaki, added that ¡Èpersonality¡É counts most. Prof. Hattori spoke about ¡ÈPresent Moves at UNESCO¡É. The biggest move is to recognize ¡Èthe cultural diversities¡É, in other words ¡Ècross-cultural understanding¡É. This move is mainly attributed to what he proposed in 1985, ¡Èdialogue among civilizations¡É, which attracted many people and led to the Silk Road project, attended by 2,000 scholars from 30 countries. At the end a member of Meguro UNESCO Association made a report on the activities of the youth group from FY2005 to 2008. The analysis of intercontinental conduits from Prof. Hattori, the activities at the Headquarters from Ms. Miyazaki, and the local activities from the member of Meguro UNESCO, gave us a chance to see the activities of UNESCO from various directions. If I may conclude the afternoon, I can say that cross-cultural understanding is basically having hearts of mutual respect among people. The lectures were a precious chance to look into us, members of Meguro UNESCO Association, and made us think again what we could project toward people locally as well as the people around the world. What will it be like at the Meguro UNESCO international exchange summer youth program this year? -translated by Nobuko Matsushita ]]>