| The "Law Concerning UNESCO Activities" was introduced in 1952,
two years prior to the foundation of the Meguro UNESCO Association. The
people who were continuing to suffer from the hardship of the war then
and longed for a more secure peace were attracted to "UNESCO activities."
The need for cooperation between the people and the government was easily
recognized. The law does not simply call for support of non-governmental
UNESCO activities. On the basis of the UNESCO Charter, it clearly prescribes
that so long as Japan joins UNESCO all Japanese people are encouraged to
participate in UNESCO activities. The UNESCO Association should therefore be open to everyone who endorses the activities. Notably it should be free from any religious, political, or other bias. Furthermore, the Association is expected to cooperate not only with the government but also with other organizations that share the common purpose. The law stipulates that "The Government or local administration shall engage themselves in UNESCO activities." Specifically, the UNESCO activities constitute commitments of Japan and Meguro City together. The Meguro City Office and its Educational Board appreciate this point well and have cooperated in the activities of the Meguro UNESCO Association since its foundation, which has been very lucky for the Association and for this area as well. Thanks to this law, the City entrusted our Association with some of its activities and rented us a part of a public primary school building for our office use. Officially, both the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology are in direct contact with UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Domestically, however, the Educational Board is responsible for the UNESCO matters in each local administration since the "Japanese National Commission for UNESCO" was established in the former Ministry of Education. The "Law Concerning the Organization and Management of Local Educational Administration" lists its responsibilities to be executed and as Item 15 lists "matters related to UNESCO activities." Recently, the need for "co-working between the official administration and private bodies" is stressed in the field of international activities as well as local activities. But regarding UNESCO activities themselves, this "co-working" has been under way for more than half a century. The scope of activities of the UNESCO Association aiming at spreading the UNESCO spirit covers widely divergent fields. This very nature of complexity makes our organization a combination of an international exchange, lifelong education, cultural, and volunteer organizations at one and the same time as well. |
| "The Aim of UNESCO Activities Article 1. In accordance with the provision of the Charter of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or the "UNESCO Charter," the UNESCO activities of this country shall aim at contributing to the peace of the world and welfare of mankind by way of spreading deep international understanding widely among the people and advancing the relationship of understanding and cooperation between the people of Japan and other nations through education, science and culture along with the spirit of the United Nations. "Activities of the Government and the local administration Article 4. In order to realize the aim stipulated in Article 1, the Government and the local administration shall engage themselves in UNESCO activities and, as they deem necessary, give advice to and cooperate with private organizations for their UNESCO activities. 2. In accordance with the provision of the related Cabinet Order, the Government and the local administration can, to the extent they deem necessary to promote the UNESCO activities in the private sector, give assistance to the activities. 3. When they perform the matters stipulated in the preceding paragraphs, the Government and the local public organizations shall maintain close contact with the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO stipulated in Article 5." |