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| The 9th International Forum on Lifelong Integrated Education |
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Since its inauguration in 1962, Nomura Center for Lifelong Integrated Education under the direction of the Founding Director General Mrs. Yoshiko Nomura has promoted activities with the earnest wish of benefiting the children of the future.
As it happened, the 8th International Forum on Lifelong Integrated Education which was held four years ago when the organization was celebrating its 40th anniversary, proved to be Mrs. Nomura's last Forum and her last keynote address.
Mrs. Nomura cared so much about the unfortunate problems that beset youth so prevalent in the period of high economic growth in Japan in the latter half of the 20th century and had grave fears over the issues that underpinned those problems: a lack of order, lack of norms and decay of humanity.
Escalating confrontations and conflicts.... Increasing self-centeredness,
fear and despondency.........
These were not just problems specific to Japan but applied to the whole world. For that reason, she firmly believed it was the task of each of us now living on the planet, to seek the "Restoration of Humanity" and "Ways to Coexist". We have continued this quest by sharing those ideas from the Orient to the West.
Here we are now, in 2006, on the eve of the 9th International Forum on Lifelong Integrated Education. Unfortunately, the fears held by Mrs. Nomura who lived through the 20th century, have become a reality in the 21st century and the problems are becoming more profound.
How should we live in this 21st century that has just begun?
I belong to the generation that Mrs. Nomura so cared for, and wished that we will restore our humanity and carry on the vision she had for us.
Not been taught that each of us was a precious and dignified human being, I was hurt by our society that measures everything by the relative values of one's capability, how fast and efficiently one does one's job. It was at such times that Mrs. Nomura cared for me as a lost individual and helped me open my heart through the educational principles and to find meaning in life.
For this reason this Forum has a deep significance. It is the first Forum to be organized by those of us who belong to the generation that has been able to restore our humanity that we were in danger of losing.
We who live on this planet and share nature's providence are all human beings.
I know that I speak on behalf of all of us who belong to "the next generation", that we are committed to carrying on the legacy of being endorsing the universal laws, in other words, the "Order of Coexistence" shown by Mrs. Nomura, recognizing the preciousness of human beings, and affirming and respecting the values nurtured by different traditions and cultures.
The 9th International Forum on Lifelong Integrated Education is convened with our dedication to nurture the seeds of good faith that have been planted on the soil that represents the enduring toils of our forebears.
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| September 2006, Tokyo |
Yumiko Kaneko
Director General
Nomura Center for Lifelong Integrated Education |
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