No.203 2004.2.18
No.203 2004.2.18
Happy New Year! The Meguro UNESCO Association will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year with a commemoration ceremony on October 2, which will be followed by a celebratory concert on October 29. Keeping in mind the United States' return to UNESCO, another concert by young American musicians is now under consideration. And we will also have some other activities for children. Last autumn members of our office as well as of the committees were very busy organizing concerts, UNESCO lectures, bazaars, and arts exhibitions on top of routine activities, using the new office as their base. The independent office space has also been used as a base for many voluntary activities. It was visited by a group of schoolchildren on their school excursion trip. It is often pointed out that we should be engaged in “appropriate activities suitable for the time.” I am proud to point out one such example in the history of our Association. In 1954, a year following the foundation of the Meguro UNESCO Association, a "circuit exhibition of ukiyo-e woodblock prints" was performed, visiting primary schools and middle schools in Meguro including the American School. It was a joint program of the Meguro Board of Education and the Meguro UNESCO Association. Last autumn, again working with the Educational Board, we had an exhibition under the title "Edo Revealed: Digitalized Ukiyo-e Woodblock Prints." The digitalizing methodology has been made available only in recent years. In both ukiyo-e programs the aim is in common; to spread the "spirit of UNESCO" widely among the citizens in general. In the next ukiyo-e program, it may be possible to visit one school after another with digitalized ukiyo-e to convey the spirit of UNESCO through ukiyo-e, which shows people's peaceful way of life in the Edo period. The Preamble of the UNESCO Constitution reads “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.“ It also reads “Peace must therefore be founded, if it is not to fail, upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind." In reality, however, people are faced with problems threatening peace in Iraq, the Middle East, and North Korea. They are vexing problems, but in the midst of vexation I am always reminded of the starting point of our movement the UNESCO spirit. Now that fifty years have passed, let us think back to the starting point and search for “appropriate activities” as well as “appropriate management.” As to the appropriate management, Ms Isako Kato, the then Vice President of the Association, left a note in 1974 listing points to be observed in the management of the Association: Be always together with every member, Stay as voluntary activities, Keep tolerance and strict fairness; no sectionalism. It is my high hope that we can leave the best presents to the children and the youth of the world, of Japan, and of Meguro, who are our treasure. To give them the best presents for the future, let us discuss repeatedly to improve ourselves. It is my humble wish that all of you the members would render me continuous cooperation. |