News

Director’s Report:ARI’s Annual Report for 2023 FY was finally completed last month. It can be downloaded from ari.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cmyk-Annual-Report-JP-2023-online.pdf (available only in Japanese yet)The picture on the cover is by Ms. Han Sakawa, a year-long volunteer of 2023. For the last week, the Participants were divided into two groups, one in the Shonai region and the other in the Kawanishi region of Yamagata Pref., and spent the last two days visiting a natural farm, Ureshipamosiri, in Towa-cho, Hanamaki, Iwate Pref. Mr. & Mrs. Sakawa, the couple who started the farm are … Read more

On 16, 17 and 20 of August, Shimotsuke newspaper published a series of articles entitled ”JICA, From the Land of Africa – Report on a Visit to Uganda”.The article was in three parts, covering support for infrastructure development, agriculture and education. Miki Kanai (currently a JICA staff in Uganda), an ARI volunteer from 2020-21, was interviewed as one of those who had learned agriculture in Tochigi. She says, “I want to spread the cultivation of rice using organic fertilisers in Uganda where there are many farmers”. Although not featured in … Read more

Director’s Report:On August 23-24, I was invited by Dokuritsu Gakuen High School in Oguni-machi, Yamagata Prefecture, to help the faculty and staff learn about “visioning” (setting a vision of the school). ARI Participants visit the high school every year during ARI’s Rural Community Study Tour in Yamagata Prefecture, but this was the first time I had the opportunity to listen to the thoughts, wishes, dreams, and hopes of every member of the faculty and staff. I am grateful that I was able to touch even for a moment, the strength … Read more

Director’s Report:Thursday, August 22, I will be speaking at an event organized by the Maebashi Tomono Kai in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture. The title of the lecture is “Peace from the Soil”. The general public is welcome to attend, so please come if you are in the area!Zenkoku Tomonokai was founded in 1930 by readers of “Fujin-no Tomo”, a magazine first published by Motoko Hani. The aim is to nurture mutual friendship through “Fujin-no Tomo” and to grow by making the most of each other’s abilities.ARI and Tomono Kai share many … Read more

Director’s Report:Ms. Tomomi Ono, an Asahi Shimbun reporter has written many articles about ARI since she was assigned to the Otawara (Northern Tochigi) Bureau in 2021, and she will be transferred to the Tokyo head office on September 1st.Ono-san wrote about ARI’s events and covered a number of themes that touched the essence of ARI, such as radiation issues, organic farming, and servant leadership. She interviewed staff members many times and even attended classes. I am especially grateful to her for writing about me in the　“Hito (People)” section on the … Read more

Director’s Report:Ms. Yukiko Oyanagi, Associate Director of ARI, will talk in the Webinar of “New Age Asia Peace Academy (NPA)” on Tuesday, August 13. You can register for just one lecture (2,000 yen for a fee), so please join. (Japanese only.)To register, please visit the link in our profile.*If you register, you can watch the archive even after the event date has passed.[Summary of the event]Date: Tuesday, August 13, 2024, 19:00-21:00　Lecturer: Yukiko Oyanagi (Associate Director of ARI)Language: JapaneseSummary: Through learning the purpose and history of ARI, its current activities (Rural … Read more

Director’s Report:Menstruation Hygiene Management (MHM) has been a focus of ARI’s gender class for several years.Today, a workshop on MHM was held for the entire ARI community.MHM aims to help menstruating women “stay safe and hygienic during their menstrual period”As prejudice, superstition, and lack of knowledge about menstruation limit the daily lives and rights of menstruating people, especially in developing countries,　the awareness and education of MHM has been growing worldwide in recent years,This year, Participants and volunteers played a central role in the organization of the workshop, and the men … Read more

Director’s Report: On August 4 (Sun.), I will preach at the Peace Sunday Service at UCCJ Daita Church (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo). I will also continue to speak at the “Peace Gathering” in the afternoon (13:30-). We will also be selling ARI items. Please join us if you are in the area!

Director’s Report: We received a newsletter from the Haiti no Kai, a Japanese NGO that supports the KFP in the Republic of Haiti, to which two of our graduates belong.Although rarely reported in Japan, security in Haiti has deteriorated drastically since the assassination of the president three years ago, and earlier this year the country was said to be in unprecedented turmoil in all aspects: social, political, economic, and security.Especially in the capital, armed gangs controlled 80% of the capital and crime was rampant, which turned the city a lawless … Read more

Director’s Report: A retreat camp of ICU Reconciliation Forum members is being held at ARI from July 15th to 17th. This is the third camp of the group with 19 people participating, the most ever.This group, led by Williams Ikuko, is a group that studies and thinks about reconciliation, which started as an online book club during the coronavirus pandemic. ICU students, teachers, staff, and alumni gather irregularly, and soon their activities have expanded to lectures on the ICU campus, training camps outside, and participation in the Northeast Asia Christian … Read more