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Jan/Feb 2024 | Vol. 81 No. 1
DKG AROUND THE WEB

DKG PUBLICATIONS

JOURNAL
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from your mailbox—or online in Flipbook format.

Read the Bulletin: Journal online in Flipbook format.

UPDATE: JAPAN

ur Japan State Peace Education and Diversity Education projects have kept us busy promoting interna-
Otional friendship. DKG members visited elementary schools to present “The Blue-eyed Doll” picture-story
show (kamishibai), which you can read more about in issue 90-2 of the DKG Collegial Exchange, and Hiroe Sato,

an 85-year-old Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor (hibakusha) spoke at Tosa Juku Junior High and Kochi Univer-
sity. The students listened in both Japanese and English. In August, Taeko Ogawa gave a dramatic calligraphy
performance calling for peace at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. As a follow up, a Hiroshima spring event
is planned for donating the origami peace cranes created by the Area XIV chapters in California.
Japan State is working to diversify with our first non-native Japanese president, creating new challenges
as we work to do things in two languages. Hitomi Nomura and other DKG members taught flower arrangement
(ikebana) to Japanese and international Kochi University students using both Japanese and English in July. Our
Fall Workshop guest speaker, Rumiko Hirose from the Kochi Consultation Center for Foreign Residents, talked
about the diversity and lifestyle concerns of foreigners in Kochi.

Several members traveled to Hawai’i in September to show support for the Maui wildfires and to learn more
about helping those most in need. They visited schools, elderly daycare facilities, Kahauiki Village, and Hawaiian
Plantation Village, singing and interacting as well as introducing “The Blue-eyed Doll” on KZOO Radio. In Novem-
ber, Ellen Tanoura from Hawai’i came to Japan and gave an update on Kahauiki Village activities.
In October, a few DKG members and college students took part in the 24-hour walk “Relay for Life” to sup-
port cancer survivors and research. I have been working with Kochi University students showing them how to
volunteer in English to help businesses with international tourists in the Kochi Harimaya shopping arcade. These

students will go on to be our future educators and leaders here in Japan.
Japan State has the DKG College and Career Education projects simmering on the back burner. Working with
the Kochi City Institute of Education, Makiko Mukai and DKG want to support and mentor college students who
want to become future educators. Yasuko Kita and DKG want to make our students aware of all the local career
opportunities available. This is our most energetic upcoming project that keeps our motto in mind, “Reach out,
stay flexible, and have fun."
Paula D. Fabian, Japan State Organization President (2023-2025)

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