The curtain has been raised on the year 2005. I wish you a happy and
peaceful new year!
This is the year for the Meguro UNESCO Association to make a step
forward after its first 50 years. While the basic posture of the Association is to go along with the
Mission Statement made at the time of its creation,
our activities should be responsive to the needs of our time. They include
inviting children to join our projects, study of management suitable to a Non
Profit Organization, expansion of membership and other sponsors, contributing
to society, and sending out our wishes to the
outside.
Also important for the coming 10 years of the Association is to
study and discuss the following two points:
The first one is the “United Nations Decade of Education for
Sustainable Development” (10 years following 2005) which the UN General
Assembly adopted and designated UNESCO as lead agency for the promotion of this
Decade. The concept of “development” may be defined in many ways, but I, for
one, believe that it should include self-development.
The second point is related to the “UNESCO Universal Declaration on
Cultural Diversity,” which was adopted by the 31st General Conference. Many things
are said about this, but I feel strongly that in any racial culture there is
variety of senses of value, characteristic traits and cultural backgrounds,
depending on each individual.
Now that the world is suffering from different kinds of sickness and
the UN and the UNESCO are burdened with difficult tasks, let us make a new step
forward by learning the fundamentals and confirming the point of origin.
Last year we were attacked by large-scale typhoons and a big
earthquake in Japan. Near the end of the year there was a big tsunami attacking
countries surrounding the Indian Ocean. A furious nature robbed many people of
their lives and peaceful living. When I heard the news of the tsunami, I
thought of the children in Sri Lanka, whom I have never met. The Meguro UNESCO
Association has been sending the “Sakura-Lanka Scholarship” for 16 years and I
have kept a reliable relationship with Mr. Susantha Herath, president of the
Herath Foundation, for nearly 20 years. Up to this moment, 23 youth have
attended schools in Sri Lanka with the help of this Scholarship. Among them, I
learned, there are some who have finished the Doctor’s course and are expected
to carry on a heavy responsibility for the country.
In these areas which include not only Sri Lanka but also Indonesia,
India, Thailand and others, there are many people who have some kind of
connection with the Meguro UNESCO Association. I would like to express our deepest
sympathy for those who suffered from the disaster and wish to launch a movement
to assist them for the reconstruction of the area.
The year being the year of the rooster, I kindly solicit your
support so that the rooster of Meguro UNESCO can flutter in a big way.
