http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/ Our Future is in the Hands of Children en 2008-11-08T01:14:01+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/11/nov_2008_newsle_1.html Hello, everyone!

A terrible cold knocked me down. I took a business trip to South Korea at the end of September. The air temperature dropped sharply on the third day of my stay, and later on I started feeling sick. I hadn't caught a cold in a while... Phew, I am fully recovered and feel relived!

I have some topics to share. First, during my stay in South Korea, I worked with our staff members, Sophia and Ally, and volunteers at the MIZY Center. I was struck not only with their hard work, but also with the well-organized activities they designed. Second, we had visitors from UBS branches, located near our activity sites, in September and October. This emerged because UBS has been supporting our projects through its grant program. Our kids were pleased to show how to create animations and share their masterpieces when the UBS staff came to see our activities in Mie, Tokyo, and Seoul. Third, we've got a helping hand from an incredible South Korean supporter. She has been playing a key role in promoting our projects in South Korea. I will continue to work hard and update you on our progress.

I've spent the long autumn nights on pondering... In October, I attended the activities held in Tokyo. The 8th grade boy whom I mentioned in the last newsletter came back to join our activities. I hadn't seen him for a year and a half;
]]> 3. Newsletter kumakinoko 2008-11-08T01:14:01+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/11/nov_2008_newsle.html Hello. I am Yuko Yamada, alias Bambi. It has been 3 years since I started to participate in PANGAEA.

I was very shocked when I visited to Hiroshima and listened to the speech from a survivor of atomic-bombing. That made me start to think what I should do and what I can do for peace building. I then reached one conclusion that the approach I can take is to value peace and remove the choice of engaging in war, and not to emphasize of horrible history and make efforts to make better place. It is because the former could be inherited from generation to generation, even though they have not experienced such a horror. To make it feasible, I also realized it is necessary to work with children. So, it was lovely for me to know PANGAEA.
]]> 3. Newsletter kumakinoko 2008-11-08T01:06:54+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/11/online_voting_h.html
Many people participated in our online voting. We thank those who supported our contest!

The votes have been counted and the prize winners will be announced on this website on November 20. Please watch this space!

This contest is proudly supported by the UBS "Kids in the Arts" Grant Program, run by UBS and Social Innovation Japan.

]]> 8. General kumakinoko 2008-11-01T02:02:33+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/10/announcement_vo.html
Please click on the web address below to visit our online gallery and cast your vote for your favorite drawings. We welcome anyone who wants to vote.

http://www.pangaean.org/kiacon/index.html


This is the landmark project for us: we invited not only our activity participants, but also non-participants of the Pangaea Activity, including those who have received pediatric inpatient care, to this contest.

We simply asked the contest participants – where do you want to visit? And then, they openly drew their pictures using their imagination.
So, please take a look every piece of artwork and find your favorite ones.

You can cast your vote between now and October 31, 2008. You can vote for as many drawings as you'd like. However, you may only vote for each drawing once. The contest participants with the highest number of online votes will receive prizes.

This contest is proudly supported by the UBS "Kids in the Arts" Grant Program, run by UBS and Social Innovation Japan.
We are currently developing new programs to enable the hospitalized children to participate in our activities.

We deeply appreciate your continuing support and understanding.

]]> 8. General kumakinoko 2008-10-10T12:03:25+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/10/oct_2008_newsle_1.html Hello, everyone!

September is a back-to-school month. Our children came back to the activities after summer break with suntan and healthy smiles. During the activities, I had many touching moments. One of elementary school boys apparently grew taller. Additionally, I had a huge reunion with a boy who used to come and join our activities. I hadn't seen him for a year and a half since he moved to another town right after he finished 6th grade. He is now in 8th grade and visited us by train. It was a very heartfelt moment for me. Watching the growth of participants always makes me feel honored.

Although I was rejuvenated with attending the activities, don't assume that I have been slowing down or relaxing. Interacting with the children was just one of my September To-Dos. Indeed, I have been extremely busy juggling several projects: evaluating and reshaping the Pangaea Camp, applying for grants, attending the business matchmaking sessions organized by the Social Innovation Japan, promoting the Pangaea Project to raise more funds, and etc., etc.

And then,
]]> 3. Newsletter kumakinoko 2008-10-05T11:53:14+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/10/oct_2008_newsle.html During my appointment as a vise president/board member of Mie University which has terminated last March, I had planned and executed a project called "Local community initiated Internationl Environmental Information Education Project" in cooperation with Mr. Shimamura of E-labo Experience Co. Ltd, where the member children attended the "squeak" class held by Mr. Alan Kay at Expo 2005 Aichi. It was during the process of planning this project when I first met Ms. Mori of Pangaea through Mr. Shimamura. Time does go by fast and it has been over two years since then.
]]> 3. Newsletter kumakinoko 2008-10-05T11:47:48+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/09/the_episode_in.html We've been in Seoul since last week. Yesterday, a Pangaea activity was held at the Mizy Center, near Myeongdong. I just observed most of the time, as I cannot speak Korean. Twenty-three excited participants came, greeting us with "an nyoung ha seh yo"!

We then formed two groups. One group participated in an anime workshop, while the other painted, colored on own works, and created a panoramic picture collage of everyone with the help of a Pangaea staff member we like to call "Woophin". Halfway though, the groups switched.

While sitting at the painting and coloring table, I met a young boy in about the fifth grade who remembered my name. "Yumi!" he said to me, followed by something I did not understand. It turns out he was in Japan for just three days over the summer at our children's camp. ]]> 8. General yumi 2008-09-28T13:21:41+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/09/seven_years_aft.html
Last week, we received news from UNESCO that Kenya will be participating again. This month however it's Seoul, where we will be further strengthening the connections Pangaea has forged between children in Korea and Japan. While it is not entirely certain why our relations with Korea are proceeding at such a rapid pace, we undoubtedly owe immense gratitude to the director, facilitators, and volunteers at Seoul's Mizy Center. This time we will be creating animated movies.

]]> 8. General yumi 2008-09-11T13:07:40+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/09/sep_2008_newsle_1.html Hello, everyone,

The scorching summer heat has finally faded away. It was pleasantly cool here in Kyoto this morning.

Pangaea had a historic accomplishment this summer: from August 23 to 25, we held our first camp, called "Pangaea Brain Boot Camp," at the Fuji Institute of Education and Training in Shizuoka, Japan. We planned this camp to invite Pangaeans residing in Japan in order to design and develop our projects together. Overall, 25 Pangaeans, including our facilitators, technical staff members, volunteers, and advisers, joined the camp from Tokyo, Kyoto, and Mie. We had a very productive time during the camp.

To boost our brain function,
]]> 3. Newsletter kumakinoko 2008-09-05T16:18:54+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/09/sep_2008_newsle.html From my personal background and experiences, I believe that "knowing and understanding others" could mean "knowing and understanding one's ego" at the same time. While I, a Korean, studied European culture for a long time, I became, ironically but naturally, more and more get interested in discovering mine including my-self.

Therefore, I have been quite sure that international understanding programs invite youth not only to get aware of each difference and respect it while making friends from all over the globe, but also to meet more closely and deeply inner self.

The Seoul Youth Center for Cultural Exchange (MIZY Center), which is managed by the Korean National Commission for UNESCO has played a role as a Korean partner organization for the Pangaea Project since 2006.

As a Korean counterpart,
]]> 3. Newsletter kumakinoko 2008-09-05T15:50:05+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/09/pangea_camp_at.html Last week, Pangea held a three-day, two-night retreat from Saturday until Monday. Twenty-five facilitators, technology staff, advisors, and board members from Tokyo, Kyoto, and Mie attended. Attendees praised the retreat, calling it "exceptionally productive" and finding it "so stimulating that ideas continued to be generated even after the retreat ended." Although I initially thought we could spend some time getting to know each other, participants got down to business immediately, turning the retreat into a forum to share their ideas about the present, future, content, and framework of Pangaea. Three lecture series were presented to work groups: Kazuhiko Nishi analyzed Pangaea's operations, Toru Ishida spoke on the language grid that powers the multilingual communicate site used weekly, and board member Toshio Nagahisa presented multiple perspectives on the future of Japan.

The discussions continued until after 10 PM, and the number of questions from participants startled even the speakers. We also tested animation software developed in Kyoto, built personal connections, considered thoroughly future content of our community site, and shared our daily concerns about Pangaea. It turned out to be a very fruitful retreat. If possible, I would like to have a retreat very much like this one every year. I was surprised and excited by the brilliance of our participants and felt we were truly creating "everyone's Pangaea." Thank you dearly to those who participated. For those who did not, we welcome you to future retreats.

Yumi

]]> 8. General yumi 2008-09-01T16:33:42+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/08/aug_2008_newsle_1.html Hello, everyone,

It's been a challenging summer for me due to roasting heat waves in Japan. I usually stay abroad for two months, from June to July, which gives me a sanctuary from the excessively hot and sticky weather in Japan. But this summer is very different: I have been in Kyoto for these two months and experienced a hot spell for the first time. Alas, I am dazed and groggy.

Volunteer of the Year 07 was announced to be given to Oriana of Mie University Village. She participated Pangaea in last two years. At the end of July, she completed her job with Mie City to teach children English at schools, and returned back to US to attend PhD program in University. When she joined, she could not speak much Japanese, and experienced difficult times to communicate with children. However,
]]> 3. Newsletter kumakinoko 2008-08-05T22:27:24+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/08/aug_2008_newsle.html Hello. My name is Miwa Omori.

My encounter with Pangaea was an electrifying experience. Two years ago, on one morning, I was watching NHK and suddenly the title "NPO Pangaea's approach - Simultaneous activity between Japan and Korea" caught my eyes and then I found myself exclaiming, "This is it!"
I could not believe what was being broadcasted on TV. What I saw was exactly the kind of activity that I had always wanted to take part in - the activity to create the bond between the children all around the world. I made friends with a Czechoslovakian
]]> 3. Newsletter kumakinoko 2008-08-05T22:21:25+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/07/mie_university.html Today we held an activity at Mie University. The numbers have increased here since last month, and there are now 25 children actively participating. Newcomers joined the regulars in their creative projects, and the environment warmed gradually as everyone's shyness faded.

One great thing about the activities at Mie is that ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers) from the city of Tsu participate as facilitators. Indeed, intercultural communication is possible right here in Mie! So far, six ALTs have participated as facilitators and provided support for our children.

Today was also the last day for one of these facilitators, an ALT named Oriana Gatta. She is returning to the United States after two years in Japan, but has not missed a single day of activities since we began Pangaea in Mie. She has always used her exceptionally gentle demeanor and smile to bridge linguistic and cultural differences, showing kindness and compassion not only to students, but to the entire staff.
]]> 1. Activity Report kumakinoko 2008-07-12T16:21:03+09:00 http://www.pangaean.org/blog/english/archives/2008/07/jul_2008_newsle.html Hello, everyone,

Within two months, powerful earthquakes rocked in China and Japan. To make matters worse, the monsoon season has started in Japan. We are now concerned with landsliding in the areas affected by the earthquake. My prayers and condolences go out to the victims of the earthquake.

Well, now for the good news: the content and design of our website are renewed! Our translation volunteers in Japan, as well as Pangaeans in Europe, devoted their time and skills to get our work done. We all worked together to improve our website more informative and understandable. Please take a look at our refreshed website!!!

Our facilitator training sessions were held in Kyoto, Seoul, Mie, and Tokyo. I am very proud that one of our staff, Hana-pooh, became a great lecturer!
]]> 3. Newsletter kumakinoko 2008-07-04T13:42:53+09:00