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The Japan Foundation Prizes for Global Citizenship
Following the announcement of the three recipients of the Japan Foundation Prizes for Global Citizenship for FY 2012, The Japan Foundation (President: Hiroyasu ANDO) announced three recipients of the President’s Special Prizes, presented to organizations engaged in international cultural exchange.
Recipients
Outline of "The Japan Foundation Prizes for Global Citizenship"
This prize was established under the name of "the Prizes for the Promotion of Community-Based Cultural Exchange" in 1985, at the time the importance of community-based international exchange became widely acknowledged. In FY 2004-2005, in commemoration of its 20th anniversary, the award was renamed "The Japan Foundation Prizes for Global Citizenship" in awareness of development and diversification of community-based international exchange activities. The Japan Foundation has been presenting the prizes to organizations which have been contributing to promotion of international cultural exchange between communitiesor mutual understanding that results in change or revitalization of communities. (In principle, three prizes are presented every year.)
This year, mass media, think tanks, international exchange organizations, and local governments sent a total of 79 recommendations.
The recipients of the prizes were determined by the selection committee through a careful selection process.
The selection committee was chaired by Mr. ISHII andconsisted of the following members (in alphabetical order):
- (Chair) Mr. Yoshitaka ISHII (President, NPO Kourokan-Fukuoka Castle History & Tourism Citizen's Association; former Chairman of the Board of Kyushu Railway Company)
- Ms. Kumi FUJISAWA (Vice President, Think Tank SophiaBank)
- Ms. Michiyo KAMATA (Senior Manager, Social Solution Department, Project Produce Division, DENTSU Inc.)
- Mr. Fram KITAGAWA (Art Director & Chairman, Art Front Gallery Co. Ltd.)
- Mr. Syota KOBAYASHI (Editorial Writer, Nikkei Newspaper)
- Ms. Yasuko OGIWARA (Secretary General, Association for Corporate Support of the Arts)
- Mr. Taro TAMURA (Representative, Institute for Human Diversity Japan)
Recipients for FY2012
NPO Japan Association for Refugees (Shinjuku City, Tokyo)
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| Representative | Mr. Yoshiyuki Nakamura (Representative Director) |
|---|---|
| Established | 1999 |
| Website | http://www.refugee.or.jp/en/  |
<Activity Outline>
This association provides legal support for refugee status recognition procedures to refugees coming to Japan, livelihood assistance to meet their emergency needs such as medical care, food and housing, and comprehensive support to secure their independence, including offering job assistance and teaching Japanese language. It also makes policy recommendations and conducts public relations activities to establish a refugee protection system. In addition to these activities for refugees, it implements reconstruction assistance for areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and offers support to foreign residents in the affected areas who settle down in Japan, based on their experience accumulated through refugee relief activities.
(* Fifth awardee from Tokyo, latest in 2011)
<Reasons for the Prize>
How we help foreigners integrate into our community and realize multicultural coexistence is a pivotal issue for Japanese society. Meanwhile, refugees who wish to settle down in Japan engage in volunteer activities in the affected areas to contribute to local communities, despite their fragile ties with local communities in Japan. The activities of this association that connect refugees with their communities can be said to be of great significance in thinking together about Japan’s future.
NPO Terra Renaissance (Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture)
*Click the image to enlarge
| Representative | Mr. Shingo Ogawa (Director) |
|---|---|
| Established | 2001 |
| Website | http://www.terra-r.jp/ * in Japanese |
<Activity Outline>
Aiming to create a society in which all living creatures can live with security, the association is engaged in diverse activities such as de-mining support in Cambodia, village development in areas where landmines have been buried, education for avoiding landmines, rehabilitation support for former child soldiers in Uganda and the Congo, and illegal trade control of small arms. In Japan, it performs peace education activities through lectures and workshops as well as conducts the “Otsuchi Recovery Sashiko (Quilt) Project,” a recovery support activity for areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
(* Fourth Awardee from Kyoto Prefecture, latest in 2006)
<Reasons for the Prize>
Considered to be far away from Japan, Africa is getting very important for us. We acclaim that Japanese young people have taken the lead in providing support for young people in Africa, who are placed in a difficult situation, and have conducted various support activities in Cambodia, while obtaining financial and other support from the general public through activities of the association. Moreover, it launched the “Sashiko” project, making use of traditional quilting techniques in Aomori and Iwate Prefectures, with the aim to achieve economic independence in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. We believe that this project is also highly significant.
Pedal Sewing Machine Volunteer Club, Oita National College of Technology (Oita City, Oita Prefecture)
*Click the image to enlarge
| Representative | Ms. Yuka Goto (Leader) |
|---|---|
| Established | 2003 |
| Website | http://www.oita-ct.ac.jp/other/project/sewing.html * in Japanese |
<Activity Outline>
As volunteer activities driven by students, club members provide livelihood and job support for local people in Southeast Asian countries by fixing pedal sewing machines that have become disused in Japan through use of Japan’s manufacturing technology and then donating them to poor people in those countries. In addition, they visit places where pedal sewing machines had been donated before to fix broken machines on site and provide guidance so local people can fix them for themselves by referring to repair manuals translated into the local language.
(* First Awardee from Oita Prefecture)
<Reasons for the Prize>
We saw that club members at Oita National College of Technology have grown through their volunteer activities, in which they make use of their manufacturing and repair technologies, with the support from local people who donated pedal sewing machines to them. We also appreciate that they have learned about the cultures and histories of Southeast Asian countries through their activities, providing independence support and job assistance for local residents.