This is the 50th year since the Meguro UNESCO Association was founded on October 3, 1954. One of the guiding documents for our activities in the Association is its Founding Mission Statement. The purpose of the UNESCO activities is explained in easy language in the mission statement. The mission statement describes an ideal for the peaceful world and urges every one in Japan or in this area of Japan to be mindful of it. It touches upon ‘international understanding’, ‘culture’, ‘education’, ‘human rights’, ‘freedom’, ‘justice’, ‘peace’ and what we call nowadays ‘co-working.’
We learn many things from this mission statement, but there is a message going through every sentence, that is, “let us always stay humble when we engage ourselves in any activities of the Association.”
Whenever I read the mission statement, I feel the sense of solemnity.
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Founding Mission Statement of Meguro UNESCO
Association In order that we could contribute to the benefits not only of the people in Meguro City but also across the whole world we are determined to found the Meguro UNESCO Association to work together for the following purposes: 1. Tokyo is a cosmopolitan city where people from all over the world gather. It is our responsibility to make the city comfortable not only in terms of roads and buildings but also of the people’s gathering and the genius of the place. We believe that it is important for us to make the city a place where not only the residents but also visitors from all over the world can feel human and at home. Meguro is a quite diverse and culturally abundant area. We would like to cooperate with each other to build a society abundant in international understanding…a model of a culturally and spiritually international city. 2. In order to achieve such a purpose, it is necessary to penetrate the community with the spirit of UNESCO; of building a peaceful world through education, science and culture as well as the spirit of the World Human Rights Declaration of overcoming discrimination to realize the equality and dignity of mankind. It is absolutely necessary to form an organization of people who share such a purpose. 3. It is our wish to cooperate with UNESCO, to form an organization of people who love freedom, justice and peace in Meguro on the basis of the UNESCO spirit; to make humble contribution to the elevation of the cultural level of the Meguro city, and make a bright society. In order to realize the foregoing purposes, we are determined to found the Meguro UNESCO Association, be engaged in activities to spread the spirit of UNESCO, and work together with many other organizations related to education, science, and culture. |