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Pangaea 10th Anniversary Symposium Report!
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On September 21th, at Kashiwa-no-ha City in Chiba prefecture,
it was a big sunshine day as the world cerebrate its 10th anniversary.
I felt quite hot to tell you the truth.
My role was to take photos throughout the whole day,
as I move around and between 100 guests who filled the symposium space.
Registration was planned to be opened at 12:30, yet some guests who
eagerly waited for the day started to show up after 11:00 AM. As many
guests arrived, I started to feel bit nervous and excitement and wanted
to just do right to help a success for event.

This symposium was made possible by sponsors
(Special Sponsor: Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.; Sponsor: HONEST Co.,ltd.)
and many donators.

At 13:00, having Mr.Toshio Nagahisa as the Master of Ceremony,
the event started. He is the board member of Pangaea,
and Managing Director, Member of the Board of PHP Institute, Inc.

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Exciting Future Plan!
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The first speaker was, of course, our chairperson, Yumiko Mori.
How she gave a talk in front of audiences powerfully was a bit
different from Yumi who speaks to us casually.
She reflected past 10 years, then presented new Pangaea video.
If you have not yet seen, please check it out. We are currently
making English version, and it will be ready in a month. Narrations,
productions, and works are done by Pangaeans. I think you will
enjoy it and if you think it is good, please share those you know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYlELOaloy8&feature=em-upload_owner

So as we had this 10th Anniversary, where are we heading to? Everyone was
listening and waiting for what Yumi says. I did hold my camera
and waited for that moment.

The first plan announced was 2014 Pangaea Summer Camp @ Kashiwano-ha.
It willbe youths intercultural and crosslingual challenge which Pangaea will
take next summer. Please look forward as we work on our new stretch.

The second plan is Pangaea Launch Plan in Brazil. President Honma of
Pangaea Honest Village (Tokyo) and Pangaea now decided to start
the activity in Brazil and preparation committee is established.
How exciting to have another location in South America!

After Yumi's presentation, Mr. Walter Bender, the former Managing
Director of MIT Media Lab and the founder of Sugar Lab gave a speech.
He has talked about needs for education and importance of Pangaea mission,
then introduced OLPC and Turtle as his effort of provide opportunities
to youths around the world.

Mr.Yasuhiko Taniwaki, the Councillor, Cabinet Secretariat, took a podium,
and presented Japan to establish as IT nation. He talked importance of
"Soft power" such as seen in Pangaea's contents not just for activities,
but project Pangaea initiated in Vietnam as known as Youth Mediated Communication Model.
These speakers were those I normally will not have chance to hear them directly.
It was very valuable experiences for me to be at the occation. English speakers'
presentations were translated by Ayako (Eda-chan), and all Japanese speeches
were simultaneously translated by two translators who volunteered this hardwork.

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Amazing guests!
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After the first session and coffee break, Mr.Bernard Krisher,
a former Newsweek Far East Bureau chief, and founder of Japan Relief for Cambodia,
American Relief for Cambodia, talked in Q&A interview style with Yumi. He is very
energetic and casual despite of his age and achievements. He shared his past interviews
with many historical figures, and they were all amazing! He said that
in the past, Japanese seemed to be reluctant to speak in English,
but recently many speak to him very casually. Also he had congratulate Japan
to be named for 2020 Olympic Game.

Toshi, the Vice chairperson of NPO Pangaea, discussed the future plans for Pangaea R&D,
and then, Mr.Daniel Mitei of National Museums of Kenya's Public Program Director
presented about necessity of Peace-building effort and its launch of
Pangaea program in Nairobi. Mr.Mitei and Mr.Bender both visited Kyoto and Pangaea HQ,
then Yumi and Toshi took them to Osaka's famous cultural heritage museum, Minpaku,
and spent five hours.
Dr.Kazuhiko Nishi, the headmaster of Suma Gakuen, has known Pangaea before it was born.
His advices and guidances helped both Yumi and Toshi, and the word "Peace Engineering"
was the word Dr.Nishi has named as he heard Yumi and Toshi talked with him
what they like to do. I realized that time was going very fast, as all were excellent
speakers who were experts in various field, yet they spoke to us with languages
that all people at symposium understand.

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Eye-opening fact about Pangaea activity and "???"
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Final speaker was Prof.Toru Ishida of Kyoto University. He is the professor
in social informatics and expert in Artificial intelligence. His presentation was
very interesting as he spoke his analysis what makes Pangaea so intriguing for all..
According to his talk, what makes Match Game (Webcam menu) fun and interesting is that
it utilizes "Common Knowledge", a theory of AI. In the Match Game, children enjoy
situations that "Everyone knows that everyone knows (that everyone knows that.... recursively)"

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Awards given to Volunteer of the Year 2012 and Pangaea 5!
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Kaba-chan, Risako Kabata, Kyoto University volunteer,
was named as Volunteer of the Year 2012, and given plaque to recognize her work in Pangaea.
Then "Pangaea 5" whose works at Pangaea was significantly important were named,
and given medals. These were Prof.Ishida, Ms.Sophia Jee-hyeYoon, Ms.Mariko Yamazaki,
Mr.Terasaki, and Mr.Kadowaki. Without help from people like Pangaea 5,
Pangaea never sustained for 10 years, as Yumi puts. Sophia came from Seoul
to receive this medal, and was introduced as a keyperson to set Pangaea's overseas strategy
when she started to give Pangaea's facilitator training course to Seoul's volunteersat MIZY Center.
Congratulation to award winners!

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At Reception
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Group Photo with all speakers and guests was taken with big smiles on everyone's face.
Reception was held as we cooked BBQ outside. I was busy taking photos around tables.
I got very hungry, and Yumi and I quietly ate BBQ quickly.

At the reception, Special sponsor, the manager for Kashiwa-no-ha of Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd ,
opened the reception, and many guests took opportunities to say comments with microphone.
I introduced myself as Kyoto University volunteer, and many people
unexpectedly commented that they are reading my Newsletter, and that made me very happy.
I didn't have a chance to hear from those who are not in Kyoto before,
and at that moment, I enjoyed the most.

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Pangaea Future
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Voices I heard from speakers and guests, congratulating the 10th Anniversary,
it is still 10 years only. Indeed, it is only 10 years, but I believe
Pangaea will continue as it evolves next 10, 20, even 30 years
after this symposium. I have seen that close to many non profit organization
are not operating even beyond 3 years. Considering that, Pangaea now are
in the 10th year and getting stronger than ever.
It has already been a year since I knocked the door of Pangaea, and I feel
the strength of Pangaea is not only its technical aspects, networking with people
in various countries, and rich knowledge provided by its advisors and volunteers,
it is Yumi and Toshi's personalities which energize organization.
Their personalities and hardworking nature created Pangaea, so I believe
Pangaea will continue strong. I will be 30 years old after 10 years, but I think
I will still be involved in Pangaea then.

We thank everyone who supports Pangaea!

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