Urgent Press Release

5^th January 2005

Special Events to be held for the 10^th anniversary of the Hanshin Earthquake and  ¡ÈThe 5^th ASHINAGA International Camp for Orphans¡É

-Iraqi war orphans, 9-11 victims¡Ç bereaved children in NY¡Äorphans from 11 countries will meet !!!-

Ashinaga, President Yoshiomi Tamai, will be hosting earthquake orphans representing Columbia and 5 other nations; war orphans from Iraq and Afghanistan; 9-11 victims¡Ç bereaved children from New York: Ugandan AIDS orphans; and, children orphaned in Kobe¡Çs Hanshin earthquake in the ¡È5^th Annual International Camp to be held from January 7^th until the 18^th.¡É

The activities scheduled are to visit Nigata Prefecture that was recently struck by an earthquake, participate ¡ÈInternational Exchange¡É (Nagano) and ¡ÈInternational Orphan¡Çs Conference¡É (Tokyo and Kobe) and ¡È10^th Ceremony for the Memory of Our Loved-ones¡É (Kobe). Also, the results of the survey conducted on the life history of orphans and families of Kobe earthquake victims will be presented on the 12^th.

We cordially request and welcome press coverage of this event.

 

¡ùSchedule of Events¡ù

1.  Opening Ceremony for the 5^th International Orphans Camp (Tokyo)

Date/Time:  Jan. 7 (Friday) 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location:   International Exchange building in the Olympic Memorial Youth Center

Participants: 33 orphans from Columbia, Turkey, Taiwan, India, Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, New York and Uganda, 20 orphans representing Japan

Contents: Greetings from child representatives of each nation, Singing of the exchange theme song, Scarf Making

2.  Exchange with Victims of the Nigata Earthquake (Nagaoka City, Nigata Pref.)

Date/Time:   Jan. 8 (Saturday) 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Location:     Nagaoka Municipal Konan Junior High School Gym

Participants:  100 elementary and junior high school students who were victims of the Nigata Earthquake and 53 overseas and domestic (Kobe) orphans

Contents:                  Indoor recreation - Presentation of gifts by orphans to victims of the Nigata Earthquake , etc.

3.   Snow Kamakuras (Iiyama City, Nagano Prefecture)

Date/Time:   Jan. 8 (Sat.) Evening to Monday, Jan 10

Location:     Shinanodaira, Iiyama City, Nagano Prefecture

Participants:   53 Kobe and overseas orphans along with 2 junior high school victims of the Nigata Earthquake

Contents:      Making of Kamakuras, Snowball fights, Japanese traditional Kite flying, New Years calligraphy, Mochi making, Campfire,

4.   Eleven nation ¡ÈInternational Orphan¡Çs Conference¡É (Tokyo)

Date/Time:            Jan. 11 (Tues) 2:00 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Location:         International Exchange building in the Olympic Memorial Youth Center

Contents:                     Sharing of personal experiences, Making subcommittees of earthquake, war and terrorism, and AIDS orphans

5.   Presentation of the survey on the life history of orphans and families of Kobe earthquake victims in 1995

Date/Time:    Jan. 12 (Wed) 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Location:      Ashinaga Office, Tokyo and Kobe Rainbow House

Speakers:     Yoshiya Fukuda, Professor Emeritus, Tsukuba University

                   Assistant Professor Noriko Tarukawa, Tsukuba University

Contents:          Presentation of results of 53 surveys conducted between July and October 2003 on earthquake orphans and their families

6.   Seven nation ¡ÈInternational Earthquake Orphan¡Çs Conference ¡É (Kobe)

Date/Time:     Jan. 15 (Sat) 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location:       Mikage Town Hall, Kobe City

Contents:      Sharing of personal experiences, 7 nation orphan¡Çs message for world

7.   The ¡È10^th Ceremony for the Memory of Our Loved-ones¡É Talks (Kobe)

Date/Time:     Jan. 16 (Sunday) 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location:       Ashinaga Rainbow House in Kobe

Participants:    150 members of earthquake victims¡Ç families and earthquake orphans from Taiwan and other nations

Contents:                    Silent prayer, Words for loved ones, Presentation of flowers in memory of the deceased

8.   Participation of the Hanshin/Awaji Earthquake Memorial Service (Kobe)

Date/Time:            Jan. 17 (Mon) 2:00 p.m. to closing

Location:           Kobe Port Island Hall (World memorial Hall)

Participants:     Families of earthquake victims and approximately 100 orphans from around the world

 

NOTE: Due to the protection of privacy of the participants and operational purposes, some programs will not be open to the public. Your cooperation and understanding are highly appreciated.

 

Overview of 5^th International Orphan¡Çs Camp

Host: Ashinaga and the committee for living together with bereaved children of Kobe earthquake in 1995

Official Support: Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Dates:          7^th to 18^th January

Participants:

War orphans from Afghanistan: girl(15) 2boys(15, 17).  Earthquake orphans from Algeria: girl(12) boy(13).  War orphans from Iraqi: girl(16) boy(18).  AIDS orphans from Uganda: 3 girls(13, 17, 13)  3boys(15, 17, 12).  Earthquake orphans from Turkey: 2girls(10)boy(12), Iran: 3boys(14, 12, 15), cloumbia: girl(16), boy(17), India: 3boys(15, 14, 15), Taiwan: girl(16), 5boys(16, 13, 13, 13, 13).  Bereaved children by Terrorist¡Çs attack from NY and NJ, the U.S.: girl(15) boy(16).  And Japanese earthquake bereaved children. In total, around 100 people will joy in the camp include volunteer staff.