July/August 1999

Summer Festa 99 - Dream for Tomorrow with Music and Puppet

This event was organized with support of FSUN and International Cultural Exchange Institute. The hall was full of children taking summer vacation and their mothers.

The puppet show was performed with sign language for persons with eyesight disability, but was also enjoyable for people without disability. At the end of the performance, children and mothers altogether sang with sign language on the stage.

At her speech before the opening of the event, Ms. Michiko Watanabe, FSUN director of the board, said that she looked forward to enjoying concert together with people here at the FSUN Hall on the 12th floor of the UN Plaza in the future.

Preparation Meeting for Establishment of Kashiwa Branch

Members from Matsudo branch adjacent to Kashiwa and Ms. Michiko Watanabe, FSUN director of the board, joined the meeting.

After the greetings for the meeting opening, Ms. Eriko Suzumura, prominent flute player, performed some tunes, which impressed people.

Director Watanabe, with simple words, explained FSUN activities since its birth and its principle 'beyond borders, languages and religions'. The highlighted FSUN activities included 'Boutros Ghali Award', 'The Pacific Forum of the World Parliamentarians' Conference' and aid to Cambodia.

As with future projects, the foundation plans to hold a world parliamentarians' conference and to implement a distance education programme with satellite. She insisted to spread the spirit of cooperation at glass-root level beyond borders, languages and religions and to further support of the United Nations.

1st FSUN Japan-Philippines Invitational Golf Classic

Some members from FSUN Japan including Mr. Kazuo Torii, director of the board, and quite a few Japanese business people working in the Philippines attended the Golf Classic.

Participants including Branch Director Chin, Mr. Emanuel Sison - aid of Manila Mayer, representatives from local newspapers, and business leaders enjoyed playing golf together.

At the evening prior to the Classic, people concerned including Mr. Torii discussed FSUN principles, activities, problems to be solved, etc.

This event was one of the greatest features on a local daily paper 'Diyaryo' of the day, which showed people's big concern in FSUN.

New FSUN Branch at Tsukuba, intelligent city in Japan

The members who attended the ceremony included Ms. Kuniko Nishimura, branch director, and people with rich experience and achievements on aid to developing countries, mine withdrawal activities, conservation, etc.

Various kinds of activity are expected to be set out such as development of latest scientific technique, assistance to venture enterprises and projects with ASEAN and West African nations.

'There is high expectation of the role of Tsukuba branch on the distance education programme through satellite for medical education advancement in the Asia region' stated Mr. Hideo Nagasawa, director of FSUN board, in his speech.

Also Ms. Michiko Watanabe, director of the board, expressed her congratulatory statement and her expectations of prominent members' activities at the new branch.

'Just before the 21st century, there are many global issues and roles of the United Nations is becoming more and more important. The FSUN Tsukuba branch will assist developing countries based upon the UN charter' stated the branch director, Ms. Nishimura.

Dance & Magic Show at an Elderly-Nursing Home

Mr. Tetsu Higuchi, FSUN member, led the event as a moderator. After greeting speeches delivered by the director of the house, director of the FSUN board and Ms. Yaeko Kanai, branch director, art performances were shown.

The magic show performed by Amateur but veteran magician Miyoko Yoshikawa and the beautiful dance performance of Ms. Nakahashi, attracted the elderly.

Music Concert for High School Students

Tomakomai Citizens' Hall has 1600 seats and high standard sound equipment in it.

New FSUN New York Building Opening Ceremony will be Held on 25 and 26 October

This ceremony has attracted people's attention with its significance. The building is expected to be a central ground for international NGO activities.

Many people including FSUN members have expressed their willingness to attend the ceremony.

Distinguished people including Secretary-General Kofi Annan and ambassadors to the UN from various nations are to attend the event on 25th.

Electric Global Distance Learning Conference in Finland

Mr. Ben Haraguchi, Mr. Kazuo Torii and Koichi Shigeta from FSUN attended the conference and expressed FUSN's will to assist the distance education programme.

On the first day of the meeting, 9 August, Professor Roger Boston from Houston Community College showed how different screen reflection was depending upon communications wires with demonstrating actually using the Internet and having instant chat with all over the world.

From the Editor

Another thing is mastering the personal computer. According to a newspaper article, the Pope stated that priests must command the Internet not to have difficulty in collecting information.

English and personal computer - the two items will be unavoidable tools for NGO activities henceforth.

I t is good to know that there is a big movement to learn English and the personal computer spontaneously among FSUN respective branches.

From my sincere heart, I would like to send my applause to senior people keenly trying to acquire the skills with young learners. I hope that they can try their skills achieved through their study at the ceremony in New York in October. (K)