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【Photo Diary】 (3) Visit to Norway, Poland [2023年11月24日(Fri)]
I would like to share with you some of the photographs taken during my visit to Norway and Poland from October 23 to 29, 2023, as chairman of The Nippon Foundation and WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination.

[October 27, Kraków, Poland]


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With Mr. Zmary Gharwal, co-founder of the Social Work Hub, a Vienna-based international NGO, a year after we met last.
I thanked his organization for helping some 100 Japanese university student volunteers who The Nippon Foundation dispatched to Poland and Austria in 2022 to assist Ukrainians displaced by the continued Russian military attacks. Assuming that the war in Ukraine will be drawn out, we discussed how we should work together to support Ukrainian refugees and evacuees on a long-term basis, including a plan to organize global organizations of student volunteers.


[October 28, Kraków, Poland]


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Taking a walk in the city early in the morning.


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The Wawel Royal Castle and the Wawel Hill constitute the most historically and culturally important site in Poland. For centuries, the residence of the kings of Poland and the symbol of Polish statehood, the Castle is now one of the country’s premier art museums.


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In 1978, UNESCO placed Kraków’s Historic Center on its first list of World Heritage Sites, with Wawel Castle among its main features. The list contained only twelve of the most valued sites from around the world. 


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Wawel is a limestone hill upon the Vistula River with a complex of impressive historical monuments of unique historical and artistic values.


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At the historic Chopin Gallery, a concert venue in a 15th century building where you can experience the celebrated music of Frederic Chopin, Poland’s most renowned composer. Unfortunately, it was closed when I went there.


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A magnificent horse-drawn carriage runs through the Kraków Old Town.

(End)
Posted by Y.Sasakawa at 10:00 | PHOTO DIARY | URL | comment(0)
【Photo Diary】 (2) Visit to Norway, Poland [2023年11月22日(Wed)]
I would like to share with you some of the photographs taken during my visit to Norway and Poland from October 23 to 29, 2023, as chairman of The Nippon Foundation and WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination.

[October 25, From Bergen, Norway, to Kraków, Poland]


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En route from Bergen to Kraków. I can sleep anytime, anywhere.


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Kraków Old Town, the historic center of the former capital of Poland.


[October 26, Kraków, Poland]


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A luncheon hosted by Jagiellonian University for our delegation. Poland’s oldest university established in 1364 comprises 16 faculties where nearly 4,000 academic staff conduct research and provide education to almost 40,000 students.


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The medieval buildings of Jagiellonian University.



I was presented with this replica of a Copernican armillary sphere with the sun at the center, named after the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543).
He developed the heliocentric theory after studying at the university, then known as the University of Kraków, between 1491 and 1495. This model positioned the sun at the center of the universe, motionless, with the earth and the other planets orbiting around it in circular paths.
The university’s other notable alumni include Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) and the 1996 Nobel literature laureate Ms. Wisława Szymborska (1923-2012).


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Making a speech at a ceremony celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (Sylff) held in the historic Assembly Hall of Collegium Maius (Latin for "Great College"), Jagiellonian University's oldest building, dating back to the 14th century.
I told some 30 participants: “It is our pride and joy that we have been able to build our wonderful friendship with the Jagiellonian University. I sincerely hope that Sylff at Jagiellonian University will continue to play a pivotal role in further expanding the friendship between our two nations.”


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A commemorative photograph with the Sylff alumni. Since 1992, the program has supported nearly 300 fellows of Jagiellonian University. Many of them now assume important positions in academia and government, including international organizations, and have become role models for younger fellows.
The Sylff fellowship program was established in 1987 by The Nippon Foundation to support the education of graduate and doctoral students who possess high potential as leaders in public life. So far, we have supported more than 17,000 fellows at 69 universities, including Jagiellonian University, in 44 countries around the world.


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Talking with Sylff alumni at the jubilee celebration reception about how well they are doing.


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From left, Professor Paweł Laidler, Dean of the Faculty of International and Political Studies and chairman of the Jagiellonian Sylff Steering Committee that manages the fellowship program; the author; Professor Armen Edigarian, Vice Rector of the university; and Professor Habil Andrezej Mania, former chair of the Sylff steering committee.

(To be continued)
Posted by Y.Sasakawa at 10:00 | PHOTO DIARY | URL | comment(0)
【Photo Diary】 (1) Visit to Norway, Poland [2023年11月21日(Tue)]
I would like to share with you some of the photographs taken during my visit to Norway and Poland from October 23 to 29, 2023, as chairman of The Nippon Foundation and WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination.

In Bergen, the second largest city in Norway, I attended the Armauer Hansen International Film Festival (AHIFF), commemorating the 150th anniversary of the discovery of Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, by the Norwegian Dr. Gerhard Armauer Hansen in the city in 1873.

At the world's first leprosy film festival, I participated in the screening of “The Last Mile: On the Road to Eliminate Leprosy,” which documents my more than 40-year battle to eliminate leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, and the discrimination and stigma associated with it.

Later on the trip, I flew to Kraków, Poland’s old capital, to take part in a ceremony to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (Sylff) at Jagiellonian University, the country’s oldest university established in 1364.

[October 24, Bergen, Norway]


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In Bergen, leaves are turning red.


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In front of Bergen Kino, one of the festival venues. It presented several feature films, the documentary “The Last Mile: On the Road to Eliminate Leprosy,” and two short films that offered insights into the history of leprosy, stigma and discrimination, and the fight against the disease.
Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) Initiative and Bergen International Film Festival co-hosted AHIFF in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Leprosy Museum.
The festival brought to close a year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of Armauer Hansen’s discovery of the leprosy bacillus, following the two events jointly sponsored by the University of Bergen and the Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Initiative: a commemorative event on February 28 (the date of Hansen’s discovery) and an international conference on June 21-22. In total, over 200 stakeholders from around the world attended, including senior government officials, medical, human rights and historical preservation experts as well as researchers, NGO staff and organizations of persons affected by the disease.


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Meeting with Mr. Alexander Petersen, festival consultant of the Bergen International Film Festival (BIFF).


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Speaking to students from the Amalie Skram High School in Bergen who participated in one of the school screenings of the “The Last Mile: On the Road to Eliminate Leprosy.”
BIFF organized free documentary film screenings for schools which included discussion in class before and after the screenings, with schools receiving educational material about leprosy ahead of time.
A total of 130 students from the high school, divided into two groups, took part.


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Their questions included what motivated me to devote my life to seeking a leprosy-free world and how extensively I travel on this mission.


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After the film, I met with students studying Japanese.


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Speaking at the opening reception at Kulturhuset (the House of Culture), a hub for music, art, design, architecture and much more.

(To be continued)
Posted by Y.Sasakawa at 10:00 | PHOTO DIARY | URL | comment(0)
【Photo Diary】 Visit to Bangladesh to Meet with Prime Minister Hashina [2023年10月04日(Wed)]
I would like to share with you some of the photographs taken during my visit to Bangladesh from September 2 to 6, 2023, in my capacity as chairman of The Nippon Foundation and WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination.

During my stay in Dhaka, I invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the second National Leprosy Conference that the Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Initiative is co-organizing in the capital later this year with Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prime Minister Hasina said she would be willing to attend.

I also discussed with Bangladesh government and civil leaders the foundation’s humanitarian assistance for Rohingya refugees taking refuge in Bangladesh at the Cox’s Bazar camp and other areas after fleeing the conflict-stricken western Myanmar state of Rakhine. Almost one million Rohingya are estimated to be in Bangladesh.

[September 3, Dhaka, Bangladesh]


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On arrival in Dhaka, I underwent a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test for the novel coronavirus, still a must for entry into some countries.


[September 4, Dhaka, Bangladesh]


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Bikes and rickshaws crowd Dhaka’s roads during the morning rush hour.  


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With Dr. Bardan Jung Rana, WHO representative to Bangladesh, with a banner reading "Don't Forget Leprosy," a campaign that I initiated in 2021 to ensure that the disease is not overlooked amid the coronavirus pandemic.


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At a working lunch with Dr. Hussain Zillur Rahman, chairman of BRAC(Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee), a Dhaka-based NGO with which The Nippon Foundation has collaborated in providing humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. We recently completed the construction of three two-story prefabricated movable steel structures and the building or repairing of 200 one-story structures at the Cox’s Bazar camp to provide schooling for Rohingya refugee children.


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With Minister of Health and Welfare Zahedan Maleque (third from left) and members of his staff, together with Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Kiminori Iwama (far left).


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With Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, who previously served as Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan. Mr. Momen expressed thanks for the humanitarian assistance provided by the Japanese government and The Nippon Foundation for Rohingya refugees and asked for greater Japanese involvement in the issue.


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At dinner with Saber Hossain Chowdhury, MP.


[September 5, Dhaka, Bangladesh]


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With Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban as we pose with a "Don't Forget Leprosy" banner. She accepted my invitation to attend the second National Leprosy Conference in Dhaka later this year that the Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Initiative (SLI) is co-organizing in the capital with Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Concerning the Rohingya issue, I told the prime minister that The Nippon Foundation would provide US$3 million to help refugees now on Bhasan Char to become self-sufficient through technical, farming and fishing training.
Bhasan Char is an island located about 60 kilometers from the Bangladesh mainland. The government started relocating refugees there from the Cox’s Bazar camp in late 2020. According to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, nearly 27,000 Rohingya refugees were living on the island as of June this year and the government plans to relocate up to 100,000 refugees there in phases.


(End)
Posted by Y.Sasakawa at 14:57 | PHOTO DIARY | URL | comment(0)
【Photo Diary】 Visit to China to Celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Japan-China Sasakawa Medical Fellowship Program [2023年08月21日(Mon)]
I would like to share with you some of the photographs taken during my visit to Beijing on July27-28, 2023, in my capacity as chairman of The Nippon Foundation to attend a ceremony to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Japan-China Sasakawa Medical Fellowship program at the Great Hall of the People.

[July 27, Beijing, China]


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Arriving in Beijing after a 3-hour, 20-minute flight from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.


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At dinner with Vice Minister Cao Xuetao of China’s National Health Commission (second from left) and former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori (far right).


[July 28, Beijing, China]


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With former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori in front of the Great Hall of the People where the 35th anniversary gala event was held.


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The event brought together a total of some 1,000 participants. They included such dignitaries as former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and China’s National Health Commission Vice Minister Cao Xuetao as well as hundreds of Chinese fellows who took part in the fellowship program and about 140 Japanese professors and instructors who taught and worked with them.


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This was the first gala held at the Great Hall of the People with as many as 1,000 participants since China eased its stringent COVID-19 restrictions late last year.


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“We aim for this fellowship program to be a model for joint research between Japan and China,” I told the ceremony.


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A new agreement on the sixth phase of the fellowship program is signed by the author, Vice Minister Cao Xuetao (center) of China’s National Health Commission and Dr. Hideoki Ogawa (left), president of the Japan-China Medical Association. Under the new agreement, we will invite 30 Chinese medical students and professionals to Japan each year for five years starting in 2024 for doctoral courses, joint research programs and a newly added postdoctoral research program.


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A birthday party was hosted by Japanese ambassador to China Hideo Tarumi (right) at his official residence for former Prime Minister Mori (center) who turned 86 on July 14.

(End)
Posted by Y.Sasakawa at 10:58 | PHOTO DIARY | URL | comment(0)
【Photo Diary】 (3) Visit to Mongolia at the Invitation of President Khurelsukh [2023年08月14日(Mon)]
I would like to share with you some of the photographs taken during my visit to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from July 6 to 8, 2023, in my capacity as chairman of The Nippon Foundation at the invitation of President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh.


[July 7, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia]


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With Mr. Odbayar Erdenetsogt, a foreign policy advisor to President Khurelsukh, who travels around the world on behalf of his boss.


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With Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh, who successfully hosted the first ever Female Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Ulaanbaatar on June 29-30 to “provide an opportunity for participants to deliberate and exchange information, and share their best practices of feminist foreign policymaking.”


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Exchanging views with the foreign minister.


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With Dr. Surenchimeg Dulamsuren, the Rector of the National Academy of Governance, the institution The Nippon Foundation has supported under the Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (Sylff) program. Over the past 30 years, with a view to nurturing future leaders of the country, the program has bestowed fellowships on students pursuing masters and doctoral degrees.


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With Mongolian Sylff fellows who have gone on to become leaders in a variety of fields following graduation.


[July 7, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia]


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Our drive to Chinggis Khaan International Airport was delayed by thick fog, but not as much as we had anticipated.


(End)
Posted by Y.Sasakawa at 10:00 | PHOTO DIARY | URL | comment(0)
【Photo Diary】 (2) Visit to Mongolia at the Invitation of President Khurelsukh [2023年08月10日(Thu)]
I would like to share with you some of the photographs taken during my visit to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from July 6 to 8, 2023, in my capacity as chairman of The Nippon Foundation at the invitation of President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh.


[July 7, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia]


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With Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh at the State Palace, the presidential residence.


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The luncheon between us lasted 45 minutes longer than originally planned even though President Khurelsukh had scheduled a meeting with the speaker of the Indian parliament immediately afterward.


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With Mongolian ladies who performed traditional dance for the luncheon President Khurelsukh hosted in my honor.


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Mr. Arvan Tavnii sar khoomei (center), one of Mongolia’s top five singers, who sang at the luncheon.


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President Khurelsukh gave me a framed photo of my wife and me printed on cashmere cloth.


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I presented him with a Japanese warrior’s helmet, which he loved.

(To be continued)
Posted by Y.Sasakawa at 00:00 | PHOTO DIARY | URL | comment(0)
【Photo Diary】 (1) Visit to Mongolia at the Invitation of President Khurelsukh [2023年08月09日(Wed)]
I would like to share with you some of the photographs taken during my visit to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from July 6 to 8, 2023, in my capacity as chairman of The Nippon Foundation at the invitation of President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh.


[July 6, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia]


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Flying over the Mongolian grassland shortly before arriving in Ulaanbaatar en route from Tokyo.


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Greeting me at Chinggis Khaan International Airport were Mongolian ambassador to the United States Batbayar Ulziidelger (left) and Odbayar Erdenetsogt, presidential foreign policy advisor (right). President Khurelsukh was gracious enough to instruct Ambassador Batbayar to come home to sit in on at his luncheon with me.
The envoy is an old friend of mine and once served as executive director of Vansemberuu-Mongolia, an NGO that spearheaded a project to promote the use of traditional medicines by distributing “family pharmacy kits” to provide safe, effective, accessible health care to Mongolia’s nomadic people.


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Arriving at the hotel at 11:30 p.m., I was met by members of Vansemberuu-Mongolia. Due to a massive traffic jam caused by flooding, it took 3 hours to reach the hotel.


[July 7, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia]


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Visiting Mongol Kosen College of Technology, one of the three such institutions The Nippon Foundation helped establish in the North Asian nation to train top-level engineers.
The Kosen colleges were modeled on some 50 such institutions in Japan that feature a unique and successful higher-education system involving a five-year engineering course and an additional two-year advanced course.


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I was recognized as one of the three persons credited with helping found the Kosen colleges in Mnogolia.


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Interviewed by TV9 Mongolia on the foundation’s activities in the country.


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With Mr. Ganbayar Ganbold, Vice Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Sports.

(To be continued)
Posted by Y.Sasakawa at 10:57 | PHOTO DIARY | URL | comment(0)
【Photo Diary】 (3) Visit to Norway to Mark 150 Years Since Discovery of Leprosy Bacillus [2023年07月28日(Fri)]
I would like to share with you some of the photographs taken during my visit to Bergen, Norway, from June 19 to 24, 2023, in my capacity as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination and chairman of The Nippon Foundation.

During my stay in the second largest city in Norway, I attended a two-day international conference to celebrate the 150th anniversary of discovery of Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, by the Norwegian Dr. Gerhard Armauer Hansen in 1873.

[June 22, Bergen, Norway]


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Speaking at the second-day session of the international conference to mark the 150th anniversary of the discovery of Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, by Dr. Hansen.


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The conference brought together over 200 stakeholders from around the world, including senior government officials, medical, human rights and historical preservation experts as well as researchers, NGOs and organizations of persons affected by the disease.


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Being interviewed for television by Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), Norway’s state-owned public broadcasting company, on the significance of the 1873 discovery of the leprosy bacillus by Dr. Gerhard Armauer Hansen as well as how important it is to fight the disease and the stigma and discrimination it causes.


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Encouraging members of organization of persons affected by leprosy to speak out for a truly inclusive society where they and their families can play an active role.


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With members of organizations of persons affected by leprosy from around the world.


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With Ms. Charmaine Woodward (left), president of Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa, and her son from Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai, Hawaii, in the United States. She said she will continue to tell the story of the Kalaupapa settlement, where more than 8,000 people affected by leprosy were banished between 1866 and 1969.


[June 23, Bergen, Norway]


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When we called a taxi, a Tesla electric vehicle arrived to pick us up.


(End)
Posted by Y.Sasakawa at 10:00 | PHOTO DIARY | URL | comment(0)
【Photo Diary】 (2) Visit to Norway to Mark 150 Years Since Discovery of Leprosy Bacillus [2023年07月27日(Thu)]
I would like to share with you some of the photographs taken during my visit to Bergen, Norway, from June 19 to 24, 2023, in my capacity as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination and chairman of The Nippon Foundation.

During my stay in Norway’s second largest city, I attended a two-day international conference to celebrate the 150th anniversary of discovery of Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, by the Norwegian Dr. Gerhard Armauer Hansen in 1873.

[June 21, Bergen, Norway]


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Stradivarius mini concert: From left, Ms. Rino Yoshimoto (1st violin), Mr. Florian Schötz (2nd violin), Mr. Raphael Paratore (cello) and Mr. Pinchas Adt (3rd violin), all playing Stradivarius instruments on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation, The Nippon Foundation’s partner organization.
Under the Instrument Loan Project launched in 1994 to make greater contributions toward classical music, The Nippon Music Foundation has now come to own 21 instruments made by Antonio Stradivari and Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù and loans them gratis to young promising musicians and internationally active musicians regardless of their nationalities.


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With the Earl of St. Andrews, chairman of the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, during a coffee break.


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With commemorative blocks to mark the 150th anniversary of the 1873 discovery of the leprosy bacillus by Dr. Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen.


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Another wonderful performance for the evening reception.


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Posing with the performers: from left, the author, Mr. Pinchas Adt, Rector Margareth Hagen of the University of Bergen, Ms. Rino Yoshimoto, Mr. Raphael Paratore and Mr. Florian Schötz.


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With Mr. Artur Custódio Moreira de Sousa of the Movement for the Reintegration of People Affected by Hansen’s Disease (Morhan) of Brazil.


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From left, Mr. Hide SakaguchiI, president of the Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation; Mr. Haakon Steinar Vatle, CEO of the Statsraad Lehmkuhl Foundation; Mr. Bernt Jacob Pettersen, its board leader; and the author.
The Bergen-based foundation owns and operates the sailing vessel Statsraad Lehmkuhl, which made a 20-month One Ocean Expedition global training voyage including a port call in Japan as part of the U.N. Decade of Ocean Science initiative.  
I stressed the importance of nurturing marine experts through such training voyages and other means who will come together to meet the existential challenges facing our oceans.


(To be continued)
Posted by Y.Sasakawa at 10:00 | PHOTO DIARY | URL | comment(0)
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