This article has been send by Ms. Mari Yamashita, from UNIC Tokyo

I speak on behalf of all of UN personnel and people in Japan when I thank everyone in the world for their thoughts and prayers. These have been trying times for all of us who live here in Japan. Thankfully, no one in the UN family seems to have been hurt by the earthquake and tsunami of 11 March.

All dependants are also accounted for.We are also thankful that for now, Tokyo metropolitan area remains safe so that each agency is able to continue with essential work.  While UNIC is the main outlet of the UN Secretariat in New York, OCHA has a relief web operation based in Kobe and there are in total 27 UN agencies, programmes and entities.  Many of us are based in Tokyo while others are scattered throughout the country, mostly in the Western and Southern part (Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, etc.) – so we are all quite a distance away from the directly hit areas (see Reliefweb for excellent updates in English).

Many of our agencies are fully engaged in the relief efforts (UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, WHO, IAEA, etc.) and UNDAC is operational in Tokyo.  We are all very proud about the work they have been able to mobilize so quickly and those of us who are Japanese are also very proud of the resilience and the spirit of all the affected people.

As for security, we are currently in Stage II of our relocation/ evacuation plan which advises all non-critical staff and dependents to voluntary relocate to safe areas in Japan or elsewhere. This has been an important and emotional decision for many, as the UN staff here are predominantly Japanese and there is no discussion for the need to relocate among the general public around Tokyo area. Many schools are on spring break and those of us who have children had plans for them to be outside of Tokyo anyway.

But for many, “leaving” is just not an option. Many of my colleagues have expressed their strong solidarity with the affected people and feel that we need to be here to support the relief efforts.

Many staff will opt not to relocate away from Tokyo at the moment. For our operational agencies, of course, their priority is relief effort and operational support. Working arrangements since the earthquake have been flexible to the extent possible with many staff working from home. While the Security Management Team in Japan continues with its emergency planning, all of us are determined to stay and help the people in the affected areas.

UN Staff members folding origami cranes for the annual Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony

In commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the Atomic bombing of Hiroshima, dozens of staff members in New York City Headquarters and Tokyo folded a thousand origami cranes for the upcoming visit of the Secretary-General to Hiroshima in early August.

This is the first time in UN history that an incumbent Secretary-General will attend the annual Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony. The one thousand origami cranes will carry the good wishes of all UN staff to the people of the city of Hiroshima. Cranes, which symbolize longevity, are considered as mystical creatures in many parts of Asia. Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. In Japan, it is said that folding 1,000 origami cranes makes a person’s wish come true. People often send these cranes to those who suffer from illness or ill fort-une in hope that their lives will improve. They are also a popular good-luck gift for family members and friends.

Spearheaded by Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Kiyo Akasaka, the origami cranes project attra-cted much enthusiasm among staff members in New York and Tokyo. Staff from each duty station contributed 500 cranes, making the total number 1,000.

In Tokyo, around 60 staff members from UN Information Centre (UNIC) Tokyo, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations University (UNU), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Labour Organization (ILO), World Food Pragramme (WFP) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) participated in the project. The portion from New York was shipped to Tokyo to be chained together with the other half. More than three dozen staff members from various departments and offices contri-buted. Many of them were first timers and learned the art from their fellow Japanese colleagues. “It’s a good way to connect with people from diverse cultures,” said Edita Zulic, who learned how to fold origami cranes by participating in the project. “I think it’s a wonde-rful gesture that through this creative exercise, we could all contri-bute to the message of peace.”

The one thousand origami cranes became a symbol of world peace through the story of Sadako Sasaki, a little girl who was two years old when the first atomic bomb hit Hiroshima on 6 August 1945. After the incident, she suffered from various illness and eventually developed leukemia. When she was hospitalized, she started to fold origami cranes, hoping that she would recover from her illness and live a better life when completing one thousand cranes. Unfortun-ately, she was only able to make 644 cranes before she died at the age of 12. Sadako’s friends finished the rest of the thousand orig-ami cranes and buried them with her. From then on, the story of Sadako has become an inspiration to many people all over the world.

“The Secretary-General’s visit to Hiroshima is to be considered as an important step towards nuclear disarmament,” said USG Kiyo Akasaka. It comes at a time when global nuclear disarmament is highlighted as a top priority on the agenda of the Secretary-General. Following the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in May, the Secretary-General invited high level officials from all member states to a meeting in September to continue the disarmament negoti-ations. During his visit to Japan next week, the Secretary-General will make a speech and hand over the one thousand cranes to the Mayor of Hiroshima, Tadatoshi Akiba, expressing the good wishes of all UN staff.

UNIC Workshop on Palestine

国連広報センターは2009年11月19日（木）、パレスチナ人民連帯国際デーおよびUNRWA（パレスチナ難民救済事業機関）設立60周年を記念して、国連大学本部ビル（UNハウス）内会議室にて、「パレスチナの人々への国連および日本からの支援」と題したワークショップを開催しました。

ワークショップ開会前に、UNRWA60 周年ビデオ「Providing Hope」が上映されました。このプロモーションビデオは、パレスチナの姿をUNRWAが発足した当時（60年前）から現在に至るまで、当時の貴重な映像を使ってドキュメンタリータッチでまとめられています。 

UNRWA60周年 Providing Hope http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLa5mzbcvic

はじめに、国連広報センターの妹尾靖子/所長代行が挨拶を行い、パレスチナ人民連帯国際デーおよびUNRWA６０周年について説明しました。続いて、国連広報局の植木安弘/プログラム・サポート・チーフより、同国際デーに寄せる潘基文（パン・ギムン）国連事務総長のメッセージの代読がありました。メッセージは通常、同国際デー（１１月２９日）に発表されますが、今回は特別に、日本でのワークショップの日程に合わせて１９日に発表されました。

事務総長は、今までの人道的取り組みも重要だが、今や「政治的解決策を重視すべき」であり、「米国のイスラエルとパレスチナの様々な問題に関する交渉の再開に向けた取り組み」や「エジプトによる、ガザ及びヨルダン川西岸両地区の再統一に関する取り組み」を支持していると述べています。また、中東での公正で恒久的な和平の現実に向けて、イスラエルとパレスチナ２国家共存を目指してゆくことを強調しました。

ワークショップ内容の続きはこちら

パレスチナからのビデオメッセージ　ＵＮＲＷＡ副事務局長　フィリッポ・グランディ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT-KK78ZyIs

A UNRWA poster for its 60th Anniversary

In observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and UNRWA’s 60th Anniversary, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Tokyo organized a workshop at UNU Headquarters on 19 November 2009. The theme of the workshop was “UN and Japanese Assistance to the Palestinian People”.  It reviewed the activities and efforts of the UN, UNRWA and Japan in providing assistance to the Palestinian people over the last 60 years.  It also discussed ways of continuing or even enhancing the assistance the UN and Japan provide the Palestinians in the future.

Ms. Yasuko Senoo, Officer-in-Charge of UNIC Tokyo, opened the event, and a panel discussion followed with six panelists: Ambassador Waleed Siam, Head of the Permanent General Mission of Palestine to Japan, and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Middle East Research Institute of Japan, as well as Ms. Hiroe Makiyama, Member of the House of Councillors, and Mr. Tsuyoshi Kitazawa, a former National Soccer Player and JICA’s Official Supporter. The workshop was moderated by Mr. Hiro Ueki, Chief of the Programme Support Section in the Department of Public Information of the UN Secretariat in New York.

The workshop was attended by more than 60 participants from the Japanese government, the diplomatic corps, media, academia, and civil society. During the opening session, a special video message from Mr. Filippo Grandi of UNRWA was presented (see the link below).
Providing hope > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLa5mzbcvic
Mr. Grandi’s message > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT-KK78ZyIs

Ambassador Siam expressed his gratitude towards the Japanese Government and JICA for their support of more than 100 million dollars during the past years, and emphasized that such support had helped to educate scientists, engineers, lawyers, doctors and others, who are actively engaged in the Palestinian society.

Various viewpoints and problems were raised in the first part of the panel discussion, including political and human rights issues.  Looking to the future, some of the actions proposed in the second part include: continued support by the Japanese government and JICA for UNRWA, including the maternal and child handbook (MCH) project; pursuing further the Japanese government’s “Corridor for Peace and Prosperity” project, which is intended to create the much needed employment opportunities, spur economic growth and promote social improvement; and support to young people through football and other sport activities.  We all need to be aware that resolving the Palestine issue is at the core of attaining peace in the Middle East.

Click here to learn more about the workshop programme