No.203-3
The purpose of International Exchange
Committee is the communication among members. 9 Japanese members and 16
friendship members plan activities. Last year, we started the year hoping that
the friendship members would take part in our work as actively as the Japanese
members. But it didnft go as we wished. Most of friendship members joined Meguro
UNESCO Association to attend UNESCO Japanese classes. So when they had to leave
the classes for some reason, they eventually gave up coming to the committee as
well. Anyway, we have just started. Wefll just continue moving forward.
It was our great joy that gUNESCO salon - Letfs learn about Koreah was
planned by our Korean friendship members last September. I look forward to the planning
by our members from other countries.I have a question always: what can our
committee do specifically to realize UNESCO spirit? I always ask myself, even
if we can do UNESCO activities, wonft it be difficult to push the UNESCO
movement forward? But I do believe that if we join UNESCO activities and become
friends with others from different countries, and feel close about their
culture, then, isnft it natural for us to wish for the peace?
It is our mission to plan activities where everyone can join in happily,
where more Japanese members and friendship members can come together. For
that, one of our goals for this year would be to invite new UNESCO members
to join
@Finally, how wonderful would it be,
when friendship members become not only as a receiver of our activities, but
planners too, and start planting a seed of UNESCO spirit in their own
countries?
@I recall that the title of Meguro
UNESCO Association 10-year anniversary booklet was ga message from a small
community of the planet earthh. I would like to wrap up my New Year message
with a hope that the heart of UNESCO will spread from Meguro to the world like
a ripple spreading on a pond.
A happy new year from
the Japanese Language Education Committee
Mitsuko Kato, Chairperson of
the Japanese Language Education Committee
The Japanese class of Meguro UNESCO Association started in 1988, in the room of a bank in front of Yutenji station. The class
has its roots in our forerunnerfs warm heart that granted foreign peoplefs requests to learn Japanese. It has now grown into many small classes, grouped according to progress, and in recent years has evolved into a elarge familyf where about 130 students gather each term (spring,summer and winter).
Pictures: EUsually divided into small classes, here all the classmates foster closer relationships on the last day of class@@@@@@@@EStory-telling with pictures in the beginnersf class