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Through the association of Ms Takigawa Yoko, a member of the Association for the Preservation for the UN Peace bell who taught Japanese in Kosovo, we decided to present the Peace Bell to the Republic of Kosovo. 11.7.2024, Mr Akiyama Shingo, Director of the Kosovo-Japan Friendship Association, Mr Takai, Director of our association and I visited the Embassy of the Republic of Kosovo in Japan, We presented a 4 kg Peace Bell to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Sabri Kiçmari.

There was an interpreter at the embassy, Kikuchi Yuki, so we explained to him the origin of the Peace Bell and asked to ring it every day. The Ambassador immediately rang the bell three times with a smile.

The Ambassador also gave us a lovely figurine in the shape of the country of Kosovo, made from a mineral that is a speciality of Kosovo, as a commemorative gift. The embassy was decorated with a picture of a statue of Mother Teresa, who devoted her life to helping people suffering from poverty and disease. Mother Teresa was Albanian, born in Skopje, and we learned that the Mother Teresa statue was there because her mother had been from what is now Kosovo.

　　　　　　

On 25.6.2024, a ceremony was held at Kamakura Shrine to receive four UN Peace Bells, attended by 16 people.

These bells will be presented to the Hiroshima Takeya Area Atomic Bomb Memorial Ceremony Executive Committee, the Republic of Kosovo, Israel and Palestine. It was a very hot and humid day, but as the ceremony began, a cool breeze suddenly blew, which seemed to be the mercy of the enshrined deity. The ceremony began with offering the blessing by the chief priest KOIWA, followed by the Ninjou Mai ritual dance. Afterwards, all attendees presented a tamagushi (a sacred object) and rang the Peace Bell. The ceremony ended in a solemn but warm atmosphere with speeches by Mr KOIWA, representative TAKASE and the recipient’s representative, KOYANAGI Hiroshi.

　　　　　　　　

The General Membership Meeting was held in person for the first time in five years on 9 June 2024, after COVID-19 pandemic and it had been held by voting form. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Association for the Preservation of the UN Peace Bell, which has 229 members, including those from abroad. The General Assembly was attended by 95 full members, including proxy attendance.

Despite the busy schedule, the meeting was very active, with questions and opinions raised by those present.

The items reported and discussed were unanimously endorsed and successfully concluded.

　　　

The 20th Overseas Development Study Group was held at Josui Kaikan in Tokyo on 5.6.2024 and I participated as a guest.

The theme was ‘Japan’s security/risks with global trade’. There were 62 participants, many from large companies that have been active overseas, and I was surprised at the breadth of Mr KADOTA’s personal network. There was an address by Dr KOGURE, former chairman of the board of directors of Shibaura Institute of Technology, and speeches by ABDULWAHAB, former Iraqi Embassy staff member, and IDA Takeo, former director of Nippon Life Insurance Beijing. At the beginning of the meeting, we talked about the UN Peace Bell, and we started with the clear sound of the small bell we had brought.

　　

On 29.4.2024, a Koinobori (carp streamer) event was held at Osaka Expo ’70 Commemorative Park, organised by Dr NAKAMURA Tetsu of Momoyama Gakuin College of Education. The event included making and hoisting carp streamers, striking a small UN Peace Bell and making jumbo bubbles to pray for world peace and cultural exchange.

The children were so interested in the Peace Bell that they struck it one after the other, making its sound resonate. The children naturally bowed their heads with their hands together after striking the bells, which showed a prayer for peace that transcended any religions and any ideologies.

　　　

On April1 18, 2024, we visited the Embassy of the Republic of Kosovo and met Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Dr. Sabri Kiçmari. The visit was connected with Ms Takigawa Yoko, a member who is posted to the Republic of Kosovo as a Japanese language teacher.

Mr Akiyama Shingo, Director of the Japan Branch of the Kosovo-Japan Friendship Association, who introduced us to the Embassy, was also present. Representative director Takase explained to the Ambassador the origins of the UN Peace Bell and the activities of the Association for the Preservation of the UN Peace Bell, and said that the Association would like to present the Republic of Kosovo with a 4 kg Peace Bell. The Ambassador was very pleased and said he would pass the message on to his country.

The possibility of a visit to the Republic of Kosovo was increased.