Celebration for the 50th Anniversary of Japan's Accession
to UNESCO
On July 2, the 50th anniversary of Japan joining UNESCO, a commemorative
ceremony, with the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess in attendance, was
performed by the Japanese Government, under the sponsorship of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science
and Technology as well as the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO.
On July 3 “The International Symposium Commemorating the 50th Anniversary
of Japan's Accession to UNESCO” was held, co-sponsored by the National
Institute for Educational Policy Research, UNESCO, the Education Ministry,
and the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO.
As these were governmental, rather than UNESCO non-governmental events,
the number of the participants from nongovernmental organizations was limited.
However, we could see the government's attitude to strongly support Director
General Koichiro Matsuura, and in the addresses given by the ministers
it was clearly mentioned that, at the time of our joining UNESCO fifty
years ago, there was an upsurge of the nongovernmental UNESCO movement. We
were also given warm words of encouragement from the Crown Prince. The
symposium on July 3 will be televised on NHK's “Friday Forum”, and the
report on the symposium is to be made by NIER. If you are interested,
please contact our Secretariat. The following are the contents of the
two-day event.
Date: July 2, 2001 Venue: Toranomon Hall
I Commemorative Ceremony
Addresses by Ms. Makiko Tanaka, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Ms. Atsuko
Toyama, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology;
Mr. Ikuo Hirayama, Chairperson, Japanese National Commission for UNESCO
Address by His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince
Addresses by the Prime Minister (Proxy: Mr. Kosei Ueno, Vice Chief Cabinet
Secretary); Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, Director General of UNESCO
Awarding of World Heritage Site Certification - Presented by the UNESCO
Director General to the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture
Awarding of Certification Attesting to the Proclamation of “Nogaku” as
a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity - Presented
by Commissioner for Cultural Affairs, Agency for Cultural Affairs, to President
of the Japan Association for Noh Plays
Presentation of Commemorative Postage Stamps - Presented by Senior Vice
Minister of Public Management, Home Affairs, Post and Telecommunication
to Chairperson, Japanese National Commission for UNESCO
II Commemorative Lecture
“History of Half a Century Since Japan's Accession to UNESCO”
By Mr. Hisanori Isomura, President of the Japan Cultural Institute in Paris,
former Special Adviserto Director General of UNESCO
III “Nogaku” Performance:“Hagoromo” (the Feather Robe)
“Shite” (Main Character): Katayama Kuroemon, Chief Director of the Association
for Japanese Noh Plays
Date: July 3, 2001 Venue: Hitotsubashi Memorial Hall
International Symposium Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Japan's Accession
to UNESCO “What Should We Hand Down to Children in the 21st Century?”
Organizers: National Institute for Educational Policy Research; UNESCO;
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; Japanese
National Commission for UNESCO
Sponsors: Foreign Ministry; NHK; United Nations Information Center
Opening Address by Ms. Atsuko Toyama, Education Minister
Keynote Address by Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, Director General of UNESCO
Presentation by
1. Dr. Vichai Tunsiri, former Thai Deputy Minister of Education
2. Prof. Edward S. Ayensu, President of the Pan-African Union for Science
and Technology
3.Mr. Dragoljub Najman, former Assistant Director-General for External
Relations of UNESCO
4. Dr. Tsutomu Kimura, President of National Institute for Academic Degrees.
5. Dr. Aminata Dramane Traore, Ex-Minister of Culture and Tourism of
Mali
6. Mr. Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, Ambassodor and Permanent Representative
of Bangladesh to the United Nations
7. Dr. John S. Toll, President of Washington College
Discussion (Chaired by Mr. Hisanori Isomura, President of the Japan Cultural
Institute in Paris)
Theme 1: Identity and Cultural Diversity
Theme 2: Equal Access to Education, Resources, and Opportunity
Theme 3: Environmental Protection of the Earth and Ethics of Science
and Technology
How to Commemorate the 50th Anniversary in Meguro UNESCO's Activities
The Meguro UNESCO Association wants to make the 50th anniversary meaningful,
and the newly appointed members of the board and the committees are trying
to be active in carrying out various events. We'd like you to take this
opportunity to join a committee you like.
①We will attach to each annual event, the Retreat for instance, the phrase
“commemorating the 50th anniversary” in order to be well aware of its
meaning.
②For the events we regard as important as to be expanded, we should consider
making a special budget as well as acquiring extra income. (The summertime
mini bazaar reported on the previous page was held to raise funds for the
concert in the fall.)
③We should take an active part in UNESCO's events for citizens of Tokyo
in cooperation with other UNESCO associations in the metropolis. (Photo
Exhibition of UNESCO World Heritage, Aug. 17 - 26, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum
of Photography; UNESCO Study Session for Japanese High School Students,
Aug. 3 - 6, National Bandai Youth House; etc.)
④We should consider how to enrich the content of our activities for the
coming fifty years. (We've already started reexamining the system of the
Secretariat; we intend to make further approaches to
Meguro citizens; etc.)