3rd “Peace is...” Event
2017/6/16
On June 16th, the Permanent Mission of Japan held the third “Peace Is…” event at the United Nations Visitors Lobby. The “Peace Is…” event series was designed to have each event feature a Japanese artist based in New York who would use art and culture as a gateway to allow anyone to casually think about what peace means to them. The Permanent Mission of Japan hosts these events in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Information (UN DPI) and the Permanent Missions of other like-minded member states.
Inspired by the UN Ocean Conference, which was held a week before, Japanese calligrapher Masako Inkyo used three different colors of ink (blue, black, and gold) to write words to express the theme of “an ocean of peace” on a sheet of washi paper that was 10 meters long and 1.5 meters wide. The washi paper represented the ocean and each color of ink represented a different thematic element of the ocean (blue = waves, black = flow, gold = light and wind). To accompany the calligraphy performance, Japanese opera singer Sahoko Sato-Timpone sang songs in Spanish, French, and English that related to each theme, allowing guests to experience the ocean through music.
At this event, Ambassador Yasuhisa Kawamura gave opening remarks, and among the attendees were acting Head of UN DPI, Maher Nasser, Director for the News Media Division at UN DPI, Hua Jiang (MC), and Ambassador Teodoro Locsin of the Philippines.
After the calligraphy performance, guests were invited to write their messages of peace on the washi “ocean,” and Ambassador Kawamura wrote 「望道」 (Where there is a will, there is a way of hope) in Japanese. Additionally, acting head of UN DPI, Maher Nasser wrote in Arabic, and Ambassador Locsin of the Philippines wrote “acceptance.”
Over 200 guests came to the event, and postcards where guests could write their messages of peace in their native languages were collected this time as well. Additionally, the 110 postcards collected from May’s event were affixed to a banner and displayed at this month’s event for guests to look at.
Inspired by the UN Ocean Conference, which was held a week before, Japanese calligrapher Masako Inkyo used three different colors of ink (blue, black, and gold) to write words to express the theme of “an ocean of peace” on a sheet of washi paper that was 10 meters long and 1.5 meters wide. The washi paper represented the ocean and each color of ink represented a different thematic element of the ocean (blue = waves, black = flow, gold = light and wind). To accompany the calligraphy performance, Japanese opera singer Sahoko Sato-Timpone sang songs in Spanish, French, and English that related to each theme, allowing guests to experience the ocean through music.
At this event, Ambassador Yasuhisa Kawamura gave opening remarks, and among the attendees were acting Head of UN DPI, Maher Nasser, Director for the News Media Division at UN DPI, Hua Jiang (MC), and Ambassador Teodoro Locsin of the Philippines.
After the calligraphy performance, guests were invited to write their messages of peace on the washi “ocean,” and Ambassador Kawamura wrote 「望道」 (Where there is a will, there is a way of hope) in Japanese. Additionally, acting head of UN DPI, Maher Nasser wrote in Arabic, and Ambassador Locsin of the Philippines wrote “acceptance.”
Over 200 guests came to the event, and postcards where guests could write their messages of peace in their native languages were collected this time as well. Additionally, the 110 postcards collected from May’s event were affixed to a banner and displayed at this month’s event for guests to look at.
Photo Credit: Tokio Kuniyoshi