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May 2005 INDEX Reports ・ Yumi, Chief Executive Director's monthly note ・ Toshi, Chief Techinical Director's monthly note ・ What's up in Pangaea's Playground? (Activity report) ・ What's up in Research group? (Study group report) Announcements ・Pangaea Membership Card Design Competition *Yumi's monthly note March was a month with full of events; academic year ends for a Pangaea Shibuya activity, Pangaea Salon (study session) invited Mr. Barrett, professor at MIT; on 28th, Pangaea activity at Suginami started at "Ensemble Ogikubo". It was truly delightful to see children at both locations enjoying and wanting to participate Pangaea in coming academic year. I felt things appear promising for us. Shibuya activity brought children from two schools (elementary/junior high schools each). They traded name cards then after viewing video letters from Kenya, they wrote pictorial message. The Day went very well than we had expected. Vice principal of elementary school who observed the day made comments; "we, teachers, should come here and see they can make such delightful children's faces." I was very glad to hear that she felt that way. Also, the day was very international as some members of volunteers, there were Tom, a researcher at MIT, who was visiting Japan and Ms.Cho who ran to come from the Kyoto University. Prof. Barrett commented at Salon, as "I've never expected that I could encounter such a wonderful activity in Japan. I would like to offer support from now on." So these events in March told me that Pangaea is going on the right track These activities could not be done without staffs who worked so hard throughout this past year. A very directive, yet sometimes overcharged executive director (Yes, that's Yumi), staffs had worked without getting sick nor being tired of. Also I have to thank the Shibuya Board of Education for supporting our activity and people of Shibuya- Fun In for participating in a field of activities. Saying "See you in May" to children on their return, I realized that the need for more exciting activities. There will be increased level of activities this year. We are seeking more volunteers to participate in our activities. So if you are visiting Tokyo, please come and join! *Toshi's monthly note Pangaea Activity program in AY (academic year) 2004 at Shibuya public schools in Tokyo completed last March with great success and, importantly, without any accidents. This has been greatly supported by Shibuya-ward government, facilitator volunteers, technical volunteers, local community supporters, and observers as well as Pangaea core members. We are delighted to announce that NPO Pangaea will continue Pangaea Activity program in AY2005 in Shibuya ward and also in Suginami-ward in Tokyo! It was Pangaea's first year to have children involved as Pangaea activities and I've learned and discovered a lot by these activities as a participant and as a technical supporter. I've got amazed how quickly children learn to use software applications. And, sometimes, I was so surprised to see children use software in totally different ways which is intended to. These experiences have taught and refreshed me a lot with fun each time. Thanks especially to Seji (Chief facilitator), Tetsuji (Pangaea-Salon researcher), Kayo (Activity local manager), Kotaro (Chief technical supporter) and, of course, Yumi, these phenomena and feedbacks from Pangaea Activities have been accumulated, analyzed, and summarized into each Pangaea's domain as know-how and we are trying to apply it into further activity agendas and software developments. In academic year 2005, Pangaea will have more activity fields including overseas and R&D domain will be expanded and I will provide more interesting topics. I will write R&D topics including Pictogram communicator, tentatively called Pangaea SNS, and Pangaea Media Viewer on Pangaea newsletters in the near future. *What's up in Pangaea's Playground? (Activity report by Seiji) The year 2004's activity in Shibuya has ended. The last one was a joint activity which children from two different schools met face to face for the first time. The time passed like a flash. In the activity for the junior high school children, saying hello, everyone started to collect their hand made name cards. Although boys, especially, looked shy and reserved at school. The cards were traded under a peaceful and sociable atmosphere. Adults were friends just as same as those of their age. Various unique and peerless individualities became parts of them. The elementary schools' activity started from taking group photos with Ms.Cho's call, "Kimchi!" Then, each pair did a tensional other-introduction. "Even shy children feel hard to speak at school, they can and do introduce about their friends here." said vice principle. After was trading name cards which they enjoyed to make. They pressed toward a memorial board that Komaki spent one day to make and posted messages one after another. They gave me their name cards even though I did not have any. "I have no cards. Is it Okay?" "Yeah", nodded and gave them to me. It seemed like thanks was put into the act of trading cards. Very happy! They watched a video letter from Kenya. Everyone wrote a pictorial message to friends in Kenya. Reply would come by a next activity. I am really looking forward to it. Souvenirs for children of both elementary and junior high schools were "group photos" and "friends' name cards". Some might see Pangaea at the same place, some might after becoming junior high, and some might at some future day. Hope to see you again. Pangaea always welcomes you. So everybody, come & visit! *What's up in Research group? (Study group report by Tetsuji) There is no study group related report this month. However, we are going to renewal the content of our activity, so I wish you to be looking forward to it. ____________________________________________________________ Announcements Pangaea Membership Card Design Competition Non Profit Organization Pangaea, headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, aims its goal to create "Universal Playground" where children can feel a personal 'bond', are seeking a design for children's membership cards. Your design will be examined by "Pangaea Membership Card Design Committee". Judges are from UK, Kenya, USA, Korea and Japan. Children all over the world will use the winner's design! Don't miss it! ****************************************************** Please check for details at Pangaea homepage. Non Profit Organization PANGAEA: http://www.pangaean.org/ For inquiries, E-mail: info*pangaean.org (Please change "*" to "@".) [Registration/Termination of Subscription] This e-newsletter is delivered to *Registered Pangaea activity supporting members *Pangaea advisors *Pangaea fellows *Registered Pangaea volunteer staff *Anyone who supports Pangaea activity and has contacted to Pangaea President Ms. Mori/Vice-President Mr. Takasaki If you wish to change your e-mail address or to terminate, please contact us from the following site: http://www.pangaean.org/common/english/newsletter/change.html ****************************************************** Non Profit Organization PANGAEA TS building 4F, 2-14-3 Uchikanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0047, Japan TEL: +81-3-5298-1551 / FAX: +81-3-5298-1552 E-mail: info*pangaean.org (Please change "*" to "@".) Copyright (c) 2003-2004 NPO PANGAEA. All Rights Reserved. ****************************************************** |