The grassroots power of NPOs and NGOs
Changing the world is not just a dream
Many people are doing their best to make the world a better place. Even children are involved in organizing peace activities, international exchanges, and ways to convey the experience of the atomic bomb. We are very proud of their grassroots efforts.
For this issue, the junior writers interviewed three Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and took part in some of their activities.
After our interviews, we talked about these groups and their contributions towards making a more peaceful world. We are impressed by their power to make a difference and we discussed ideas for creating new NPOs with the same kind of spirit..
Hiroshima is home to many NPOs engaged in international work
--interview with Professor Shuichi Nakayama
What sort of NPOs and NGOs are based in Hiroshima? I spoke with Shuichi Nakayama, Professor at Hiroshima University of Economics and former Dean of the Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation at Hiroshima University. (Hayato Yoshioka, 15)
According to the Hiroshima Prefectural Office, as of March 2007, 468 NPOs have head offices in Hiroshima. This includes some NPOs now temporarily inactive due to financial difficulties. There is no way to count the number of NGOs, since they don't need to register with the governmental office, but Professor Nakayama assumes "less than 500 organizations, including NPOs, are actually in operation."
Naturally, Hiroshima has many groups that are engaged in peace activities, with "at least 30 very active groups." However, Professor Nakayama observes that, "Recently, their mission has shifted from a focus on abolishing nuclear weapons to promoting international cooperation from a base of experience with the atomic bomb." Still, there is a tendency to rely on the efforts of the Hiroshima city government, which has historically been a keen leader of peace activities.
Professor Nakayama himself is the President of Peace NGOs Hiroshima (PEN) with 14 groups and 21 individual members. The mission of PEN is to strengthen the power of local groups and individuals through cooperation. In 2005, when they were providing support to victims of the Asian tsunami, the people were said to be encouraged knowing that citizens of Hiroshima were offering assistance. The world's familiarity with Hiroshima seems to aid this kind of international outreach.
On the ground with NPOs in Hiroshima
A variety of activities provide local and international support
HPS International Volunteers
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We picked up litter with Hideki (left) in Peace Memorial Park. (photo by Haruna Tanabe, 17) |
The Vice-President of HPS International Volunteers, an NPO in Hiroshima with 78 members, is Hideki Matsushita (16), a high school student. He attends Hiroshima University High School while leading activities for HPS International Volunteers. Four junior writers took part in their monthly "clean-up campaign" in Peace Memorial Park.
For about 30 minutes, we picked up litter like cans and cigarette butts. In all, there were 20 participants, including a parent and child. It was tiring work on a hot day, but we filled up 10 big bags of trash.
When Hideki was in his first year of junior high school, he was shocked by the amount of litter in Peace Memorial Park and he decided to do something about it. He felt that "litter should not be thrown in this spiritual place" so he started his clean-up activity with six friends. Now, the number of volunteers sometimes reaches sixty participants.
In 2005, he met an atomic bomb survivor, Hiroe Sato (68), who organizes peace-related lectures and events for Hiroshima citizens and together they founded their NPO. One activity is called "Hiroshima Peace Meeting" and they are now working hard to organize the second meeting.
To attract more youth, who are not generally interested in peace activities, they are hoping to offer new features, such as a well-known speaker or a video display of citizens' messages. (Shiori Kosaka, 11)
ANT - Hiroshima
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Mrs. Watanabe (left) explaining a picture displayed at last year's Art Party. (photo taken by Chinatsu Kawamoto, 14) |
"Like ants, we may have little power alone, but through partnership we can accomplish great things." ANT-Hiroshima, an NPO in Hiroshima with 107 members, is involved in organizing an annual art exhibition with about 300 pictures created by children in need from 15 countries. The event is called "Art Party" and the pictures are sold for a minimum donation of 1000 yen, with all the proceeds returned to the participating children's groups.
To produce Art Party, they join forces with other NPOs in Hiroshima as well as organizations in other countries that help collect the artwork.
Tomoko Watanabe, the Executive Director of ANT-Hiroshima cheerfully told us, "For example, last year we sold ten pictures from Mongolia and donated back to them about 30,000 yen ($250). The money was used to provide the children's group with coal for the whole winter." She added that, through the exhibition, Art Party also seeks to raise awareness of the world among the visitors. (Shoko Tagaya, 17)
Hiroshima lighting group
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When I removed the milk carton, I found a solid candle inside. (photo by Chinatsu Kawamoto, 14) |
Another NPO, Hiroshima Lighting Group, has 30 members and they organize an event every August 6th in which "peace candles," with peace-related messages, are placed around the A-bomb Dome.
"Before we started this event, the A-bomb Dome looked like a big grave," the leader of the group, Toshiya Suzuki, remarked. A "peace candle" is created from a box made of wax that has a candle inside. When you light the candle, you can see the message written on the box. Since this event started, in 1997, participants have increased each year, with 2900 candles displayed at last year's event. One "peace candle" sells for 500 yen.
I tried making a candle with a milk carton. I wrote "Peace is first" with a crayon. I look forward to bringing it to the A-bomb Dome on August 6th. (Kotaro Tsuchida, 14)
Click to see the HPS International Volunteers, and junior writers,
cleaning up Peace Memorial Park.
Three ideas to help make the world a better place
- Non-Profit Organization (NPO)
NPOs are private organizations with a non-commercial purpose that are engaged in activities such as social welfare and international cooperation. In Japan, as a result of the 1998 law designed to encourage NPO activities, an organization with official NPO status has special rights and privileges
- Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)
NGOs are private organizations working internationally without commercial intentions.
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