Fureai Event was celebrating 10 years. It was the year 2000 when they started with this amazing celebration for physically and mentally handicap people.
When World Campus – Japan Participants crossed those doors we could already feel the positive energy in the air, around 400 handicap people and about 200 volunteers helping to make that afternoon, the best one ever for them, at the end ended up not being the best only for them but also for all of us volunteering.
Age or language were not important, just giving yourself like they do to everyone. What you see is what you get, nothing less, nothing more, they give themselves exactly as they are, honest and free. That day we learned
from handicap people how to be truly genuine, best lesson ever.
Takematsu Elementary was the school World Campus – Japan has the opportunity to share a complete day interacting with the kids that someday will become the leaders of Japan, or at least the leaders of the community of Omura, Nagasaki.
Our time in the school was very well scheduled by the principal of the school and the head teachers, who were very happy to have us there, not only because they knew their kids would love it but also because they know that learning about other cultures is something very important for the complete development of the kids, as kids, as people and as future part of a great community.
For us was a great learning experience. We learn about discipline, respect and most important: the culture of support and understanding the kids develop in Japanese Schools.
The Nagasaki Atomic Bomb dropped only 3 days after the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb and all the after effects of the bombs were not only negative. Even when it sounds really weird to say that a bomb can bring anything positive; in Japan, the A Bombs brought a really interesting peace culture for the country of Japan where people not only know about Nuclear weapons but they also know about the importance of Peace, promoting peace and understanding peace.
The country itself has 3 principles of peace: to not own, fabricate or permit the introduction of nuclear weapons. This principles not only contribute to the peace of the country of Japan, but it contributes to the promotion of World Peace.
The picture above is of a survivor we had the opportunity to speak with before we visited the museum, he is also someone very committed to the promotion of peace not only in Japan but around the world.
Session 2 of World Campus – Japan and World Campus International is also committed to peace. We offered 1000 cranes we made with our host families to be part of the effort they are making in Nagasaki to promote peace.
Today, we started our 4th day of the program with Nagasaki’s beautiful rain. Actually, at this moment it’s rainy season in japan especially in Kyushu island areas, it rains a lot. Although, it was heavy rain, it couldn’t prevent us enjoying today’s special event, one of the Japanese martial arts: Shorinji Kempo.
We started our day with the introduction about shorinji kempo and its history by Omura city’s proffesional master who has been practicing it for more than 20 years. Shorinji kempo is a discipline that develops individuals with 3 benefits: self defense, spiritual cultivation & health improvement. One of the wonderful life-long lesson that I learned is the quote by Doushin, the founder of Shorinji Kempo.
“Half for one’s own happiness, and half for the happiness of others” (半ばは自分の幸せを、半ばは他人の幸せを) doshin.
Personally, it was my first time to experience the Japanese unique martial art, shorinji kempo, where you don’t fight for winning or breaking down the opponent but only for self-defense, thinking and acting with equal consideration for others, with Shorinji Kempo you learn to share your learning experience including the pain.
After lunch, One of the greatest moments of the day was experiencing the shorinji kempo. We learn the basic technics and tried to use them with the masters and students. It was great to see that its technic has little to do with how strong you are but how well you perfom them”
(Sean-ショーン – Uzbekistan)
