Support Our Kids を支える大使たちから、被災地へのメッセージ

Hello, konnichiwa,

My name is Paul Kavanagh. I am the Ambassador of Ireland to Japan.

I am the chair of the International Committee of Support Our Kids.

On behalf of the project, the International Committee of Ambassadors, and my colleagues in the Embassy of Ireland, allow me to say a word of sincere thanks for all your ongoing support.

And to the young people of Support Our Kids, while we are unable to meet at the present time, I hope you are safe and well.

My colleague ambassadors and I look forward to joining together with you once again, when circumstances permit.
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This week, of course, marks the 11th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

We continue to remember in sadness the great loss of life in Tohoku region at that time.

As we all know, the effects continue to be felt in communities across Tohoku, including on the young people from the region whose childhoods have been marked by the disaster in so many ways.

Over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has further disrupted the lives of children and young people in Tohoku and across the country in Japan.

Despite the difficult circumstances, the successful and safe holding of the Olympic and Paralympic Games last year inspired people in Japan and across the world, including in Ireland.

That success was also a tribute to the resilience of communities across the Tohoku region, which have faced such adversity, and whose people welcomed athletes and teams for host town camps and events.

The impact of the pandemic has also highlighted how the work of organisations like Support Our Kids, has become ever more important - in building leadership and confidence in young people,.
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The ongoing disruption to travel means the overseas homestay programmes of Support Our Kids will unfortunately once again not be possible this year, 2022.

While this will of course come as a huge disappointment for the young people, and for all of the supporters of the project, there remains strong backing from the International Committee of Ambassadors to ensure the homestays can restart in earnest as soon as possible, with a re-launch foreseen in 2023.

We also fully support the ongoing work of Support Our Kids here in Japan, and the vision of SOK to carry their much-needed programme of activities through to 2026.

The project will, by 2026, have run for a 15-year span, marking the full school journey for the young people who participate and who were just beginning their educational journey in 2011
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While we would all like to have come together this year for the annual Support Our Kids gala event, such a gathering will have to wait a little longer.

I hope you will nonetheless join with me in continuing to support the important work of Support Our Kids.

I look forward to seeing you all in the near future.

Thank you, and do take care,
Arigatou gozaimasu.

Dear all Support Our Kids supporters, young people who have participated in the Support Our Kids Overseas Programmes, and those who are waiting for their upcoming departures,
Hello, I am Hamish Cooper, Ambassador of New Zealand to Japan.

This year marks the 11th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Support Our Kids / Tohoku Resilience is continuing to support the children in Tohoku.
The New Zealand Embassy is committed to supporting you in every way it can.

Just weeks ago, an exhibition ‘Tohoku Today’ was held in Tokyo. I am proud of 455 people’s strong progress and resilience.
Although the pandemic is not easily contained, New Zealand is expected to remove all entry restrictions by the end of the year.

We look forward to welcoming you in New Zealand.

Dear partners of Support our Kids, dear friends of the Tohoku region,

It’s an honor to address you on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami and nuclear accident. Switzerland stands with Tohoku in paying respect to all those who have been affected by the tragedy, but also in looking towards the future.

Switzerland shares deep ties with the Tohoku region. Since March 2011, we have supported the region’s revitalization by means of donations for reconstruction, dispatch of relief teams and cultural initiatives. The Host Town program, with Fukushima City welcoming Swiss athletes and activities on the road to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, created further opportunities to strengthen our friendship.

I visited Fukushima last November to pay courtesy calls to Governor Uchibori and Mayor Kohata, with whom I had warm and inspiring exchanges. They told me about the dynamism of Tohoku, mentioning ambitious projects such as the Fukushima Innovation Coast and the Robot Test Field, which I had the chance to explore.

The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum, the Denshokan, was another highlight of my visit. All along, I could observe the impressive reconstruction effort that has been taking place in the region.

In recent years, the ties of friendship between Switzerland and Tohoku further benefited from the initiatives taken by the non-profit organization Support Our Kids, together with the help of my Embassy. Support our Kids offers to students from the region an opportunity to travel abroad for homestay programs, with the aim to provide these “reconstruction ambassadors” with a global perspective.

We supported the project since its inception. Homestay programs took place in Switzerland and San Marino in 2014, and the following year in Switzerland and Poland. Again, in 2019 and 2020, we could welcome 11 students from Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate prefectures in Switzerland. They were able to attend the opening ceremony of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games, experience volunteer work, stay with families and meet representatives of various international organizations.

Several of our alumni have now started their university studies in Japan, some with international aspirations. I am impressed by the determination and drive of these young individuals. No doubt that they will play a significant role in their communities, but also in stimulating exchanges between Japan and the world.

I thank you wholeheartedly for that, dear participants! And hope you will serve as long-lasting bridges between our countries.

Due to the pandemic situation, Support Our Kids activities, this year again, are limited to domestic events. Yet, we want to continue with our endeavors towards building a resilient, sustainable and healthy future together with all our friends from Japan.

Thank you.

Chers Amis,

Depuis 2012, l’Ambassade de France a l’honneur d’apporter son soutien à l’association Support our Kids et au travail admirable qu’elle accomplit en faveur des jeunes issus des régions du Tōhoku.

En particulier, en organisant des voyages à l’étranger, Support our kids a offert à ces jeunes une ouverture sur le monde et permis de bâtir ainsi des ponts entre nos pays.

Je sais que la crise sanitaire a malheureusement affecté ces activités. Je forme d’abord le vœu que l’assouplissement des restrictions permettra la reprise des déplacements et de nouvelles opportunités de découverte et d’échanges directs.

Dans cette attente, l’Ambassade de France est également prête à prendre part à de nouvelles activités développées par Support our Kids, par exemple à travers des échanges extra-scolaires ou des activités à distance avec des établissements scolaires à l’étranger.

Mesdames et Messieurs

Nous commémorerons dans quelques jours le 11ème anniversaire de la catastrophe qui a frappé l’Est du Japon.

A cette occasion, je veux redire, en mon nom, celui de cette Ambassade et au nom de mon pays, toute la sympathie et la solidarité qui continuent aujourd’hui de nous inspirer. C’est avec ces mêmes sentiments que l’Ambassade de France a soutenu et continuera de soutenir Support our kid, au bénéfice de la jeunesse du Tohoku.

Eleven years after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, I would like to express my sympathy and solidarity with the people of Tohoku. On this day, my thoughts are with those who survived this natural disaster and who lost friends and loved ones.

I had the opportunity to visit the Tohoku region briefly in 2021 and I was impressed by how the communities have been able to rebuild after such a tragic event.

I was honoured to attend the opening match of the Tokyo Olympic Games in Fukushima. The game, a softball match between Australia and Japan, carried great symbolic significance in showing Japan’s recovery from the disaster. I was delighted to cheer for both teams.

Even though the Japanese won, it was a great event.
After the game, I had the opportunity to buy some local peaches from a vending machine and I now understand why Fukushima peaches are so famous! I know that many of the Australian Olympians and Paralympians also enjoyed the wonderful produce from Tohoku during the Games.

I am also proud of the connections we have established with communities in Tohoku in the last eleven years. Last summer, two Australian jazz musicians based in Japan performed and conducted workshops at two schools in Iwate as part of an annual tour of the region. Because of COVID-19, the 2020 tour had to be cancelled, so I was happy to see this cultural exchange starting again, showcasing the strong bonds forged through music.

The Australian Embassy also has a special link to the town of Minami Sanriku in Miyagi. Members of the Australian community frequently travelled there to assist with the recovery efforts and these bonds have endured. More recently, a new terrace with an observatory has been built in the town with support from Lendlease Japan.

Australia is Japan’s friend and partner, and I’m sure will always remain so.