UNESCO World Terakoya Movement Report [1]Unsent New Year's cards save education around the world
The end of the year means New Year's card season. Mistakes happen—wrong addresses written down, printing errors. This year, the UNESCO World Terakoya Movement's " Wrongly Addressed Postcard Project " has started again, using these misprinted cards to expand learning opportunities for children worldwide.
Approximately 58 million children worldwide lack access to education due to war, poverty, and other reasons, and it is said that one in six adults cannot read or write. This movement aims to expand "places of learning = terakoya" globally for such people.
Each unused New Year's card (52 yen) becomes a donation of about 47 yen. In Cambodia, 11 cards provide support for one person to attend school for one month.
Today, we introduce this project with Junko Kubo, the World Terakoya Movement's Public Relations Ambassador "Manabi Gater"; "Kakisonjiro," the movement's support character and an expert in writing mistakes; and Akiko Nomura from Dentsu Inc.'s Corporate Affairs Department, Social Contribution Division.
Your "Oh no!" moments with miswritten postcards help the world!
Kubo: During the New Year's card season, I've had my share of "Oh no!" moments—like accidentally writing the wrong address or putting the top and bottom upside down. But those mistakes can help save children around the world. Jiro, would you share one of your own "Oh no!" moments?
Jiro: Well... I've got plenty of embarrassing moments, as you can tell by my mortified face. For example...
・Staining the postcard with tea or orange juice
・Printing on the wrong side
・Writing the old name on someone who changed theirs
・Found old New Year's cards I'd bought too many of during a big clean-up And so on and so forth...
These botched writing episodes even made it into a movie starring me. Oh dear.
Check it out on the campaign site.
http://www.unesco.or.jp/terakoya/kakisonji2016/
Learning language can help you have "dreams"
Jiro: The collected "wasted" postcards are converted into donations and used to support education for children who can't attend school, mainly in developing countries in Asia, and for illiterate adults. Mr. Kubo, what was it like when you actually visited the terakoya?
Kubo: I visited terakoya in Cambodia and Nepal. Before attending terakoya, these children didn't even know the word "dream." Seeing them develop dreams for the future and study with such lively enthusiasm truly moved me. Their sparkling eyes and beaming smiles left a lasting impression.
Jiro: Learning language lets children dream. My struggles turning into their smiles makes me incredibly happy. We're expanding our support worldwide.
Kubo: Thanks to the cooperation of many people, starting with fundraising through discarded postcards, we've supported 43 countries and 1 region. Approximately 520 terakoya have been built, and the number of people who have studied in them has expanded to about 1.3 million.
Thanks to postcards collected nationwide last year, new terakoya were built this year in Rohal Village, Cambodia, and Babo Village, Afghanistan. The villagers are overjoyed to finally have a place to learn.
Dentsu Inc. also contributes with the power of communication and "writing practice"!?
Kubo: Dentsu Inc. has been supporting us for 12 years since the Social Contribution Department was established, right?
Nomura: That's right. Dentsu Group provides ongoing support by leveraging its core communication expertise—such as collaborating on terakoya school construction and developing/providing the federation's logo mark. We will continue this unique social contribution activity, expanding communication support through the power of ideas.
Was it your child that led you to participate in this activity, Mr. Kubo?
Kubo: Yes, that's right. Through raising my own children, I truly realized the importance of education. I strongly believe that learning is crucial for fostering "dreams," and this deep resonance led me to support this movement.
Nomura: We're receiving cooperation from UNESCO associations nationwide, and also from many companies, right?
It's been 26 years since the activity began, and in the last decade alone, over 10 million "scrap postcards" have been collected. And guess what? The Dentsu Group has been the top participant in terms of scrap postcard collection for two consecutive years! I guess that makes us a company where people tend to write a lot of scraps (laughs).
Kubo: Besides companies, many individuals also send postcards, right? The address for sending miswritten postcards is...
Jiro: Right here! Please place the unused postcards in an envelope and include your address, name, and the number of postcards.
Send to: Japan UNESCO Association Federation, Attn: Misprinted Postcard T Section
12F Asahi Seimei Ebisu Building, 1-3-1 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0013
Kubo: Everyone, thank you for your cooperation.
Jiro: Of course, postcards other than New Year's cards are also welcome!
*Details for the "UNESCO World Terakoya Movement: 2016 Used Postcard Campaign" can be found here.
Public Interest Incorporated Association Japan UNESCO Association
"Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed." Based on this principle from the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Constitution, this NGO was founded in 1948 as a federation of private UNESCO associations. It carries out activities together with 286 UNESCO associations nationwide.
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Author
Junko Kubo
In 2009, she was appointed as a UNESCO World Terakoya Movement Public Relations Ambassador, known as a "Learning Navigator." As a navigator learning about the Terakoya Movement, she visited terakoya in Cambodia and Nepal. While experiencing the importance of education through raising her own children, she learned that many people worldwide lack access to learning. Feeling compelled to "do something about it!" and resonating with the Terakoya Movement's philosophy, she served as a volunteer Public Relations Ambassador. She also obtained a Montessori education qualification.
Kakisonjiro
Unused postcards with stamps that haven't been mailed—perhaps due to incorrect addresses or being too old to use—can be transformed into donations. Unfortunately, postcards returned as undeliverable cannot perform heroic deeds like Jiro.
Akiko Nomura
Dentsu Inc.
Diversity Attendant Certification / Event Operations Manager. Engaged in corporate and product communication planning for many years. Transitioned from Planning Director to CSR operations within Dentsu Inc., supporting communication efforts for numerous NGOs and NPOs addressing social issues. Subsequently joined a division supporting "Parasports organizations." Engaged in Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games projects. Currently involved in public account business and organizational DEI advancement. As part of this, engaged in developing the "Everyone's Event Guidelines" and working towards their social implementation. Also produces the social project <a href="https://store.united-arrows.co.jp/brand/ua/data/catalog/041/" target="blank">"041FASHION"</a> from the former Dentsu Inc. Diversity Lab.
