我孫子市国際交流協会

Date/time: Saturday, April 30, 2011   1:30pm to 3:45pm
Venue: Multi-purpose hall, Civic Plaza

Prior to the opening of the 20th AIRA general meeting, all participants stood up and gave a silent prayer to the diseased people in the unprecedented earthquake and tsunami disaster of March 11.
The annual general meeting for fiscal 2011 was started by an opening speech in Indonesian and Japanese of Ms. Widya Ningsih, Indonesian, who lives in Abiko since last September.
 
First of all, Mr. Mitsuru Hayasaka, AIRA president, welcomed all members in the floor and remarked as follows. “ We are ready to do whatever we can do for the disaster-stricken people. At the same time as part of business reinforcement schemes facing crucial financial situation, we will drive forward to recruit more supporting members as much as possible.”
Secondly, Mr. Junichiro Hoshino, Mayor, congratulated the conference, saying “This year is a memorable year for AIRA as it celebrates 20th year since its inauguration. Let us all do our best to improve our living circumstances so that foreign people visiting or living in our city would be able to enjoy comfortable daily lives. 
Then Mr. Hiroshige Aoki, Chairperson of the city assembly, briefly referred to the disaster and the posterior status of foreign people, saying “Some foreign governmental offices have reportedly issued an evacuation notice to the respective nationals living in Japan.”

The business report and statement of accounts in fiscal 2010, and proposal for change of members of the board, audit and executive committee were submitted and unanimously approved in the meeting.
An explanation on the business proposal and budget plan in fiscal 2011 was made and also approved unanimously. Then a report on the change of a counselor was made.
Mr. Hayasaka, answering to a question in the floor, explained and got understanding about the date, planning, budget, etc., pertaining to the forthcoming 20th anniversary project.
The total number of the AIRA membership as of March 31, 2011 was reported as follows.
Total number 780: Men 319, women 461 
Abiko citizen: 666, Non-Abiko citizen: 114  Corporate body: 23
The 2011 executive committee members are same as the previous year. Details follow.
President: Mitsuru Hayasaka
Vice President: Takeshi Ideguchi, Fumiko Kitajima, Tetsuya Sugano
Director, Administration Department: Noriko Adachi
Director, Public Relations Department: Yasuhide Kadota
Director, Exchange and Community Department: Zhang Hua
Director, Study and Culture Department: Koichiro Beppu
Director, Volunteer Department: Tetsuya Sugano
Accountant: Yukikazu Someya, Masao Sumi

Right after the meeting, people in the hall gathered at the table for snack and a cup of soft drink, joyfully chatting each other.
Mr. Someya, one of the board members, disclosed about episodes including painstaking works in early days of AIRA, adding his surprising impression toward the today’s large-scaled jobs, feeling the time transition.
To close the whole program, all the participants challenged to an unique exercise following the lead of Ms. Miyoko Takahashi, leader of an original ballet group.

Note:For picture, click the photo album in main menu of AIRA home page.  (vol. 142)