July 19–23, 2011
In New York City on July 19–23, 2011, JCIE and the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership hosted the first overseas delegation of Japanese nongovernmental leaders who have been active in coordinating the relief and recovery efforts in Japan after the devastating March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Northern Japan. The delegation was composed of key leaders who are at the heart of Japanese and international networks of nonprofit organizations that are working to create a more effective and balanced disaster response.
Delegation |
|
| Yoichiro Abe | Deputy Director (Planning and External Relations), Central Community Chest of Japan (CCCJ); Executive Member, Joint Committee for Coordinating and Supporting Voluntary Disaster Relief Activities |
| Noboru Hayase | Chief Executive Officer, Osaka Voluntary Action Center; Vice President, Japan NPO Center |
| Fukiko Ishii | Executive Member, Joint Committee for Coordinating and Supporting Voluntary Disaster Relief Activities; President, Sakura Net |
| Tae Namba | Board Member and Director of President’s Office, Association of Medical Doctors of Asia (AMDA) |
| Yoshifumi Tajiri | Managing Director and Secretary General, Japan NPO Center; Co-Chair, Japan Civil Network for Disaster Relief in East Japan (JCN) |
| Tomoko Wakabayashi | Deputy Executive Secretary and Senior Program Officer, Association for Corporate Support of the Arts, Japan |
| Satoko Itoh | Chief Program Officer, Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) |
| Hideko Katsumata | Managing Director and Executive Secretary, Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) |
During the week, the delegation met with leaders from US organizations that have been central in the fundraising and support response in the United States to discuss how to build better collaboration and information sharing between US and international funding organizations and Japanese nonprofits working on the ground in the affected region. On July 21, the delegation participated in a major conference at the International Institute of Education that convened over 50 US-side partners who are channeling funds to Japan and supporting Japan in other ways. The same day, they served as speakers in a public program at the Asia Society on the Japanese civil society response to the disaster. The delegation also met with experts from the Hurricane Katrina response and with New York City’s Office of Emergency Management to discuss US disaster preparedness and took part in a range of other meetings.
July 20, 2011
• Philanthropy New York Roundtable: “Voices from the Frontlines: Japan’s Civil Society Response to the 3/11 Disasters” (Roundtable with the Japan Society)
July 21, 2011
Funding meeting: “US-Japan Cooperation on Supporting the Japan Disaster Response”
Asia Society Public Forum: “Voices from the Ground: Japanese Civil Society’s Response to the 3/11 Disaster”
July 22, 2011
Wrap-up meeting
Discussion with Experts on the Hurricane Katrina Response
Speaker: Shawn Escoffery, Director, Strong Local Economies Program, Surdna Foundation; former Deputy Director, New Orleans Neighborhood Development Collaborative
New York City Office of Emergency Management
Speaker: Ira Tannenbaum, Director of Public/Private Initiatives New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
Visit to 9/11 World Trade Center site & special tour