The second Board Meeting for FY 2023 was held for the purpose of reporting and briefing on the project progress for the fiscal year and the business details for the second half of FY 2023 (No. 23 -14).
Date and Time : Monday, October 30th, 2023 14:00 ~ 15:40
Venue : Abiko Civic Plaza Meeting Room #1
Participants : 17 Board members
The annual Autumn bus tour was organized by the Cultural Lectures for Foreigners and the Cross-Cultural Activities Department. (No.23-13)
Date & Time : Thursday, October 19, 2023 8:15 ~ 16:00
Venue : Abiko Clean Center & Tsukuba Ham Factory
Participants : 16 people (excluding 3 absentees on the day)
A path counselling event was held for local school students from abroad and for their parents working in Japan. AIRA took part in this event as a co-sponsor (No. 23 -12)
Date and time: Saturday, October 14, 2023, from 13:30 to 16:30
Venue: Abiko Civic Plaza Multi-Purpose Hall
Sponsors: NPO Amigo Project, Global Community Matsudo and NPO glolab
Co-sponsors: AIRA and NPO ACOBA
Participants: Approx. 50 (elementary school and junior high school students, parents, interpreters and Certified Administrative Scriveners, among others)
The International Exchange Speech Contest was held aiming to encourage young people to have a global viewpoint and also to enhance their language skills of both English and Japanese. This year marked the 23rd year of the contest. (No.23-11)
Date & time: Sunday, October 8th, 2023 13:00～16:30
Venue: Abiko Civic Plaza Multi-purpose hall
Speakers: 12 people (9 for English session, 3 for Japanese session)
Reciter: 1 person
Reporter of study trip: 1 person
Audience: 61 people
The contest began with greetings and self-introduction by the emcees, Ms.ADACHI Noriko, Director of AIRA General Affairs Department and Mr. Lan Xiu Wen, a graduate student of Chuo Gakuin University.
Following the introduction of the 6 judges, Ms. KITAJIMA Fumiko, President of AIRA and Mr. HOSHINO Junichiro, Mayor of Abiko City, made short speeches.
President Kitajima told that AIRA is making efforts for a wide range of global exchange and are expecting to hear the speakers’ thoughts for international exchange.
Mayor Hoshino told that approx. 2,300 foreigners from 50 countries are living in Abiko City and expressed his hope this contest would become an opportunity for all to know mutual history and culture.
The contest started with a recitation by an elementary school student, who recited a passage about “making a choice.”
The first session was speeches in English. Nine people made speeches about what they experienced in overseas countries, the purpose of studying English, what they learned in Hiroshima, international exchange, and so on, with gestures from time to time.
The second session was in Japanese. Three people made speeches about what they felt and learned through life in Japan.
After all the speeches, Ms. YANAI Kokoro who received the“World Doll Museum Award” last year reported about her overseas trip. It seems she got a new stimulation through her experience in Korea. She said that she realized the cultural differences when she saw Korean traditional houses and clothes. She also pointed out that people can understand each other provided that they try to, even if there are differences in races, genders, ages and languages.
Then the evaluation of the speeches began. In the meantime, AIRA’s activities of supporting foreigners such as Japanese classes, translation/interpretation, home-stay, etc. and also the international exchange activities such as the international festival, bus trips, etc. were introduced on film.
The results of the judging are stated below and testimonials were given for each award. Ms. IMOTO Karen was given “The World Doll Museum Award” which was founded with a donation from Mr. KO Yasuhiro aiming to promote globalization among young people, and the inventory was handed over to Ms. Imoto by Mr.Ko.
At the ending, Mr. Maru, Superintendent of Education of Abiko City, commented that all the speeches were full of wills towards international exchange which preferably should be conveyed to others, too. The contest ended with an address by Mr. Omura, Chairman of the executive committee, followed by a tea party in the same place, which was held after 3 years.
All the speakers who were released from the pressure enjoyed talking with the judges and others.
(Translated by NAKAJIMA Katsumi)
Leaders of Japanese language volunteers working for international exchange associations in Tokatsu District had a meeting to exchange their activity reports and relevant problems. AIRA is the leader of the group in FY2023. (No.23-10)
Date & time: Saturday, July 22nd, 2023 13:30～16:30
Venue: Abiko Civic Plaza Meeting room No.1
Participants: 22 people
Matsudo International Exchange Association (MIEA) Matsudo City Japanese Language Volunteer Group
Kashiwa International Relations Association (KIRA) Japanese Language Committee
Noda International Association(NIA)/ Nagareyama International Friendship Association(NIFA) Inzai City International Friendship Association(IIFA)/
Abiko International Relations Association(AIRA)