RICE Media, an online platform addressing social issues through engaging content, paid a visit to the Asian Rural Institute to explore the impactful work being carried out by our community. During their time here, they interviewed volunteers, staff members, and
Nao Suzuki, former ARI volunteer (1999. Current Co-Chair of NPO Greens, Editor-in-Chief of greenz.jp, and Associate Professor of Sustainability at Musashino University’s Faculty of Engineering, and resident of Isumi City, Chiba Prefecture), and Sawyer Kai (Symbiotic Revolutionary and founder of Tokyo Urban Permaculture) spoke about “Peace from the Soil” in the 22nd century and ARI in the context of “Peace in the World” on their YouTube online community “Ikashiau Design Village”.
How to live by continuing to create peace here and now – YouTube
https://youtu.be/6Byg4YitHqk?feature=shared
Participants of ARI successfully completed their study tour around Western Japan, where they break out of their usual classroom setting and come face-to-face with real persons and communities.
After a short midway break in Osaka, Participants took a ferry to Minamata and visited multiple sites to learn about the history of the Minamata Disease and its painful impact on the people in the community. They visited Minamata Disease Museum, the former Chisso company, the Hyakken Drainage site, and the eco-park made on the landfill (reclaimed land) area where the cenotaph for victims of Minamata Disease now stands.
On the next day, they visited the place where the first official Minamata patient was found, and heard the story of man named Karatachi, a patient of Minamata disease who does his best to carry on working and living in the community by growing oysters and oranges. The former city councilor of Minamata shared about how Minamata city changed their path of development and acted as a mediator between perpetrators and victims. The then-Mayor Mr. Yoshii was one of the few government officials who took initiative to acknowledge Minamata patients and apologize to them. This was the first time ARI heard about the recovery process of the division in Minamata city, inspiring both staff and Participants.
Later, Participants visited Kibou Mirai (Hope Future) Minamata – a social welfare home for patients of congenital Minamata Disease. They had the great privilege to hear directly from patients themselves and their stories. Everyone was moved by their determination and warm heart towards the community, and their hope for a future where all people can live in peace without killing one another. They got to meet Karatachi and another organic orange farmer, and heard about a family’s endeavor to connect people to the story and people of Minamata.
During the stay at Minamata, Participants resided with 15 host families, and on the last night they had a beautiful party with all host family members. They feasted on amazing vegan food made from local Minamata ingredients that everyone could enjoy, and ended the night with singing, dancing, and a wonderful closing speech from one of the Participants.
Over a long drive to Hiroshima, Participants were introduced to the three forms of violence as theorized by Johan Galtung, and were encouraged to reflect on the issues that they had seen and heard through this framework.
At the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Museum, Participants heard from a legacy speaker about the impact the bomb had on Hiroshima and its people. Through walks around the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, the hypocenter, the peace bell, the cenotaph and more, each contemplated the meaning of peace. At each place, Participants also offered prayers in their own language. A common sentiment was palpable among the Participants, “We want to try to take this message back to our communities, we need to work for peace.”
With this lingering feeling, everyone said goodbye to Western Japan and packed to return to the ARI campus back in Tochigi. We see that not only did Participants thoroughly enjoy the off-campus learning experience, but also receive inspiration from various people and stories in Japan to make changes in their own community.
To our many partners from all over Western Japan who made this tour possible, our staff members, volunteers, and especially our responsible drivers who drove tirelessly from destination to destination throughout the twelve-day period, we are incredibly grateful.
Today 11/18 (Sat) 23:00-23:30 and tomorrow 11/19 (Sun) 19:00-19:30 in Japan, an interview with our director, Tomoko Arakawa, will be aired on radio. She will talk about various stories behind ARI’s warm welcome towards community members from diverse cultural backgrounds.
FM COCOLO (Osaka): 11/18 (Sat) 23:00-23:30
FM Yokohama: 11/19 (Sun) 19:00-19:30
2023/11/19/日 19:00-19:30 | SUNSTAR WEEKEND JOURNEY | ＦＭヨコハマ | radiko
On 11/19 (Sun), ARI will be featured in the program “Eizo no Tochigi #34” on Tochigi TV as part of the history related to agriculture.
Please remember the activity of ARI that has been sending out leaders from Nasushiobara who are active in rural communities suffering from hunger, poverty, and conflict for 50 years.
Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Tochigi Prefecture “Eizo no Tochigi #34” 11/19 (Sun) 9:00-9:15 AM
This year, we have been covered by many media outlets for our 50th anniversary, and we have also had the opportunity to meet many people, both old and new, as Corona has settled down.
In September, we celebrated our 50th anniversary with 1,399 alumni from 62 countries and over 400 of our many supporters, both on-campus and online, from around the world.
Since the beginning of the year, the 50th reunion has been held every 5-10 years over a 3-month period, bringing together many old faces from Japan and abroad.
https://ari.ac.jp/en/50th-anniv
In October, many people worked together to create a domestic and international crowdfunding campaign.
https://readyfor.jp/projects/ari/announcements/293713
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/support-rural-leaders-in-training-connnections/
November, ARI has been collaborating and reconnecting with many people over the past month.
The Western Japan Study Tour, which resumed last school year after Corona, has been a great opportunity for participants to learn about the social issues Japan has been facing and to visit different parts of the country.
https://ari.ac.jp/en/2023/11/17/western-japan-study-tour-2023-part-1/
We also conducted a Western Japan Caravan in which staff and training assistant visited Kwansei Gakuin, Doshisha and other supporters in the Kansai region.
At the Clover Festival held at Doshisha University in early November, members of DUARI: the ARI club of the Doshisha University supported the ARI by holding a booth. (Thank you to everyone who enjoyed and made the Mitarashi dumplings with special soy sauce, and thank you for participating in the “Eat Together” ARI!)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CzIriITL3HP/
ARI staff met with nine ARI Graduates as part of a regional meeting of graduate meeting organized by AFARI (American Friends OF Asian Rural Institute) at the ECHO Asian Agriculture and Regional Development Conference 2023 in Thailand.
https://ari.ac.jp/en/2023/11/14/ari-afari-echo-thailand/
In the U.S., ARI staff members met new and old friends by participating in the ECHO International Agricultural Conference held in Fort Myers, Florida, and visiting various places in the U.S.
https://ari.ac.jp/2023/11/16/ari-echo-florida-2023/
These are all connected to ARI’s efforts to seek world peace from “Peace from the Soil,” which seeks to change the world through the development of rural leaders and self-reliant communities.
For example, ARI participants in the West Japan Training Program are currently on a two-week bus trip to Minamata City in Kumamoto Prefecture in the south while learning about various social issues in Japan in Tokyo, Shizuoka, Kansai, and Hiroshima. This is a journey of encountering the social issues that Japan has experienced since the end of World War II and the people who are facing them in various parts of the country.
Rather than learning about Japan’s history as it used to be, the issues of pollution in Minamata and homelessness and discrimination in Kansai are social issues that their countries and communities are facing right now. This is a journey to confront the problems that are happening now, and to face the social issues that they themselves will encounter in the future as rural leaders of the next generation, as well as the social issues that accompany economic development.
As part of this years’ training program, Ms. Keiko Holmes will visit ARI next week on Friday, November 24, and hold a session with the participants. Last year, she visited ARI and held a session on reconciliation with participants from Southeast Asia and other countries that were colonized by Japan.
Agape World – Keiko Holmes OBE (agapeworldreconciliation.org)
In celebration of its 50th anniversary, ARI is developing various collaborative projects.
https://ari.ac.jp/2023/08/29/collaboration-workshop-klasse-espresso/
Connect with ARI as we share “Peace from the Soil”. Join us to build ARI’s commitment to world peace through eating and living together.
We are midway through the final study tour for our Participants this year – The Western Japan Study Tour – where Participants embark on a twelve-day long trip to visit several places across 7 different prefectures. Through this tour, Participants learn about various issues related to development in Japan, from the possible impacts of development projects on trees in nearby campuses to social welfare projects that seek to help the elderly.
First stop was Noden (Theological Seminary of Rural Studies) at Machida where we heard from the current manager of the Noden Farm, about how the farm has been doing. Participants learned from the Director and other staff members about the history of Noden. One of our Participants, Pierre, who gave the souvenir on behalf of the team to Noden, said, “It is wonderful to learn more about the place where ARI originated from.”
Next up, at Hamamatsu, we had a good time with students from Seirei Junior High school through dialogue, performances and cultural exchange. At the Seirei Museum, we learned about the roots of the Seirei mission in the biblical principle [Love thy neighbor as thyself]. The activities of the social welfare branch of Seirei, which include elderly care homes and day services, inspired participants to further dedicate their lives to the people in their communities and to those who need support. The path is certainly not easy and requires great sacrifice, but seeing the Seirei group and all the people they are able to reach out to, Participants found a sense of hope.
At Aino Gakuen High School at Mie, Participants were greeted by the school principal and learned about the school through a campus tour. With the skills on PLA that they learned in class throughout the year, Participants shared about their work and their background, and conversed with highschool students on various topics, e.g., how people feel about Prestige or Power, the lack of pride in the concept of ‘Rural’.
The following day, despite rainy weather, spirits were high and we enjoyed a wonderful morning gathering from Participant Meidin who shared about the need for comprehensive learning (not just knowledge but also practice) and how reflection can help draw out your passion. In smaller groups, Participants and Aino students discussed what issues they are facing. It was a big learning for students to share their feelings and get to know about conflict, addiction, low esteem of farmers and more in Participants’ countries. They were all learning more deeply about each other and even offering advice or help to those who were struggling.
At Osaka, Participants received a warm welcome and went through a short orientation by Osaka Minami YMCA. The following day, Participants visited multiple places (Okinawa Bunko, Kamagasaki, Ikuno Ward) to learn about urban and social welfare problems, especially discrimination (against Okinawans and Koreans-in-Japan) and homelessness issues. Everyone could connect with existing forms of discrimination in their own countries or communities. They realized that Japan is not just the image they had before coming. At a session in the community hall at Ikuno Ward, we heard some great sharing from our own Participants. Everyone, including ARI Participants, highschool students and YMCA members, even guide (Mr. Kim) appreciated today’s learning from each other.
At this halfway point of the tour, participants are already considering deeper societal issues of discrimination, injustice, and the need for education and servant leadership within the community. Over the weekend we visited church, college festivals and other sightseeing activities – recharging before getting back to more experiential learning in the second half of the study tour.
We are grateful to all our partners who make this tour possible and we hope that the participants gain a stronger perspective and understanding of the value of their work in serving rural communities in need!
ARI staff traveled to Ft Myers, Florida to attend the ECHO International Agriculture Conference. We spoke with like-minded rural development experts from around the world, and hosted our own workshop on Participatory Learning and Action (PLA). We had a great time and hope to see you at a future conference, whether in Florida, Chiang Mai, or elsewhere!
In October 2023, ARI and AFARI staff joined the ECHO Asia Agriculture & Community Development Conference 2023 in Thailand, where they met with nine ARI graduates as part of an AFARI-organized graduates’ regional convening. They enjoyed four days of sharing ideas and technologies for small-scale farming, and saw many practical farming demonstrations at the ECHO Asia Seed Bank & Small Farm Resource Center.
ARI is thankful for the opportunity to participate in this conference, and for AFARI for sponsoring ARI graduates’ registrations, lodgings, and food costs. We look forward to more interactions in the future.
Mr. Hideo Koide from Neu Frank in Nasu returned shortly after the first class to continue teaching us how to process meat and produce bacon, jerky, tea ham (chashu), and meatloaf. On a sunny afternoon, Participants quickly assembled in the kitchen, eager for the lesson of the day. Mr. Koide started explaining the processing for each item, bowls of seasoning and ingredients laid out before him. Participants immediately got to task and worked hand in hand to prepare jerky and tea ham: chopping up garlic and onion, mixing various ingredients and seasoning, boiling water, etc.
The class briefly left the kitchen when Mr. Hideo explained the processing of bacon with the sample which had already been dried and smoked outdoors early that morning. Participants clapped as they saw the bacon-smoking process complete, excited to be closer to the finishing line for bacon processing.
Re-entering the kitchen, Mr. Hideo gave Participants several interesting variations of seasoning for meatloaf, such as cheese and nuts! Participants got back to the chopping board in no time to prepare different types of meatloaf and send them straight into the oven. On the other hand, the smoked bacon was to be boiled and then cooled. Everyone worked on different stages of different processes, while Mr. Hideo looked on and readily answered any questions that the Participants had.
We are so grateful for Mr. Hideo’s generosity in sharing his time and knowledge with us, while being so open to hearing from the Participants about how they processed meat in their own culture. The ARI community sure was delighted to enjoy the delicious meatloaf for supper that evening!
Late last month, the executive director of American Friends of Asian Rural Institute (AFARI) Sherry DeLeon flew in to visit the ARI campus. She not only prepared several classes for Participants on the topic of Fundraising, but provided consultations for all interested community members on grant proposal writing and the like. She thoroughly enjoyed the ARI life and meeting Participants, volunteers and staff members from all walks of life.
We want to take the opportunity to express our thanks to Sherry and AFARI for continuing to invest in the mission of ARI and building this strong connection with us. Your partnership keeps us going!
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