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| The 9th International Forum on Lifelong Integrated Education |
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| << Day 2 << Day 3 |
| DAY 1 November 8, (Wed.) / UNESCO Headquarters Room II |
 The Forum commenced at 2:00pm on the afternoon of 8 November with the declaration from Mrs. Sayuri Sakai, Deputy Chair of the Forum Committee.
On Day One Professor Colin N. Power, former Deputy Director-General and
Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO acted in the capacity
of chair of the plenary session, while Dr. Musa Jaafar Bin Hassan, President
of the General Conference of UNESCO and Ambassador, Permanent Delegate
of the Sultanate of Oman to UNESCO gave the address at the opening.
 This was followed by addresses from Mr. Qian Tang, Director and Deputy
Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, Mr. Andreas Schleicher for Director,
Directorate for Education, OECD, and Mr. Seiichi Kondo, Ambassador, Permanent
Delegate of Japan to UNESCO. Mrs. Yumiko Kaneko, Director General of Nomura
Center then took the floor as the sponsor. The official opening formalities
were followed by a screening of a video entitled "Founder Yoshiko
Nomura". Participants enjoyed the aesthetic images of Shibakawa where
Mrs. Nomura was born and raised and also seemed to be struck by the "aspiration"
and "spirit" that permeated Mrs. Nomura's whole life.
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 Next to speak was Mr. Noboru Noguchi, Director-General of the National
Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan and Vice-President of Bunkyo
Gakuin University who spoke of the significance of this Forum noting that
there has never been a time when the world has needed the Nomura Principles
of Lifelong Integrated Education more than it does now and that this Forum
was indeed proof of their legacy and their development.
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 Then the Chair of the Forum Committee Mrs. Yasuko Ubukata shared with the
participants the path the members of the Nomura Center trod to reach the
point of holding this Forum after the demise of Mrs. Nomura, speaking to
the theme of "Inheriting Mrs. Nomura's Legacy - Development after
November 29th, 2003". |
 At 3:40 that afternoon, Prof. Power invited D.G. Kaneko to the podium to give her Keynote Address, "Lifelong Integrated Education Enlightenment on the Order of Coexistence - Wisdom for Creating our Future".
D.G. Kaneko started by explaining why the theme of this Forum was set as "Enlightenment on the Order of Coexistence". In 1978 when Mrs. Nomura held the first forum at UNESCO the theme of the Second International Forum was "Seeking an Order of Human Coexistence". Mrs. Nomura continued from that time to advocate to the world that "an order and laws for the survival of humankind exist within the natural world". This theme was chosen through the strong conviction that those of us living in the 21st century must awaken to the "Principles" that form Mrs. Nomura's legacy, or in other words, to an "Order of coexistence".
D.G. Kaneko went on to note the importance of understanding the 20th century in order to live in the 21st century and covered the characteristics of that century in some detail, saying that "self-knowledge" in the context of an understanding of the times is an essential premise for living in this age.
D.G. Kaneko proceeded to describe in detail the Nomura Principles for Lifelong Integrated Education based on the oriental view of nature and related how these Principles had been instrumental in the restoration of her own humanity from the perspective of an individual who belongs to the generation about which Mrs. Nomura was so concerned. She noted, "Using my own personal rebirth as proof, I would like to speak about how, in these extreme times, when all humankind shares the ultimate objective of survival, these educational principles that Mrs. Nomura continued to promote, represent "an order for coexistence" that enable humankind to survive."
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 Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, the Director-General of UNESCO then delivered the Special Closing Address. He noted that education is an issue that is absolutely critical to the achievement of "sustainable development" and wished for continuing collaboration and cooperation between Nomura Center and everyone present.
D.G. Kaneko presented Mr. Matsuura with a symbolic chain of folded paper
cranes, hand-made by Center members, and thanked UNESCO Headquarters once
more for their deep understanding and cooperation over many years.
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| Day 1 - Reception |
(at UNESCO Restaurant)
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Welcoming remarks by Executive Director
Mrs. Tamatani at the reception at UNESCO |
Remarks by Prof. Koppe
of German Branch |
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| << Day 1 << Day 3 |
| DAY 2 November 9, (Thur.) / Injep |
 On Day Two of the Forum the venue moved to Injep, L'institut National de la Jeunesse et de l'Education Populaire (the French National Institute for Youth and Community Education) in the Paris suburb of Marly-Le-Roi. The morning opened with the screening of a video "Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of Foundation - the 8th International Forum on Lifelong Integrated Education" featuring the 2002 Forum which was Mrs. Nomura's last.
This was followed by four workshops, titled respectively Family, Environment,
Peace and Education, where discussions were held under the general theme
of "Enlightenment on the Order of Coexistence - Wisdom for Creating
our Future".
more pictures |
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| << Day 1 << Day 2 |
| DAY 3 November 10, (Fri.) / Injep |
 On the last day of the Forum, Sir Peter Newsam, Former Director of the
Institute of Education, University of London, filled the role of Plenary
Session Chair. The morning was taken up with presentations by reporters
from each Workshop on the previous day's discussions, followed by a Question
and Answer session on those reports.
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 A Question and Answer and Summary session with D.G. Kaneko was held in
the afternoon. One after another, hands were raised to ask questions addressed
to D.G. Kaneko who gave considered responses to each.
She concluded the Forum with the following Summary.
"The attendance at this Forum of so many people who have had close ties with Mrs. Nomura has been a source of true support and joy for us. A number of people have also commented that it felt as if Mrs. Nomura was here with us. At the end of the previous Forum Mrs. Nomura told us that "I hope you will be the bearer of this spirit". I believe that spirit has been passed on faithfully to Mrs. Nomura's wishes and that was a matter of great delight at this Forum.
Through each and every one of you present here cultivating your wisdom and knowledge, what you take home with you will no doubt form a single drop which in turn will generate new ripples wherever you are. Those ripples will spread to various regions and continue to expand. They will in turn symbolize our very own identity, and I believe that is of the utmost importance.
To be honest, while I never ever imagined that I would be speaking to you so soon on an occasion like this I would like to express my sincere gratitude for being able to share this time with you in the presence of Mrs. Nomura's spirit, even when she is no longer with us in person."
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The Farewell Drinks event held after the closing was attended by people
who pondered the significance of their presence at the Forum, and who lingered
to share their experiences, loath to say goodbye. |
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