INSTITUTIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Editorial: Onwards and Upwards in 2017

By Ramesh Jaura

We don't want to look back ... just recall that we faced numerous obstacles when we re-launched IDN-InDepthNews at the beginning of 2016 under the umbrella of the International Press Syndicate (INPS), formerly Globalom Media, established in March 2009.

As we move forward in 2017, we are very grateful to our colleagues around the world – Phil Harris, Shastri Ramachandran, A.D. McKenzie, Neena Bhadrari, Kalinga Seneviratne, Katsuhiro Asagiri, Jacques Couvas, Fabiola Ortiz, Justus Wanzala, Jeffrey Moyo, Kizito Makoye Shigela, Stella Paul, Lowana Veal, Vesna Peric Zimonjic and Lisa Vives of Global Information Network, to name just a few.

IDN-INPS Southeast Asia's Director Focuses On More Than Funds

Kalinga Seneviratne, Director of INPS Southeast Asia, has left no stone unturned in 2016 not only to explore funding sources but also to widen the outreach of IDN-INDPS in Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Crossing the frontiers, he has been sounding out potential sources in India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and even the South Pacific. In Vietnam and India he has been drawing young journalists' attention to Western prejudices, which very often tend to get implanted in the minds of the youth – much to the detriment of their independent thinking.

Talk With Hideaki Domichi, Devnet Japan's Senior Adviser

Interview with Hideaki Domichi – Devnet Japan's Senior Adviser, Former Senior Vice President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and Former Ambassador to India – on 30 November 2016 at Devnet Japan Headquarters in Tokyo with questions by Ramesh Jaura DG, Chief Editor IDN-INPS, and Executive President of Global Cooperation Council. Mr. Domichi is a recipient of Higashikuninomiya International Culture Award.

READ THE STORY BASED ON THE INTERVIEW: Devnet Japan Praised For 'Innovative Approach' To Development

Video footage on the 26th award ceremony and banquet held on September 20 in Tokyo. Filmed & Edited by Katsuhiro Asagiri, Bureau Chief INPS Japan

www.international-press-syndicate.org
The global International Press Syndicate Group provides news and analysis with a view to making information more democratic and participatory.

Photo (left to right): Hirotsugu Tersaaki, Director-General, Peace and Global Issues; Ramesh Jaura, Director General of INPS; Katsuhiro Asagiri, President of INPS Japan.

Calling On Soka Gakkai International (SGI)

INPS-IDN visited Mr. Hirotsugu Terasaki,Director-General, Peace and Global Issues at SGI headquarters in Tokyo to discuss media projects focusing on: Nuclear Disarmament and SDGs for All.

Photo (left to right): Ramesh Jaura, Katsuhiro Asagiri, Fumiyasu Akegawa, President of Devnet Japan, Jun Inoue Interpreter, Hidemitsu Sekiguchi, Program Coordinator.

Revisiting Devnet Japan

INPS-IDN visited Mr. Fumiyasu Akegawa, President of Devnet Japan on November 29 to assess an ongoing media project between Devnet Japan and the Global Cooperation Council (GCC) in the second year. Ramesh Jaura, who is also executive president of GCC, exchanged views with Mr. Akegawa on newly launched Devnet Japan projects in Asia.

Photo (left to right): Katsuhiro Asagiri, President of INPS Japan; Ms. Shigako Koyama, Vice Chairperson; Ramesh Jaura, INPS Director-General; Ms. Akiko Otsuki, Chairperson; and Takaaki Ishida, President of Issatsu no kai

Getting To Know 'Issatsu no Kai' (One Book Association)

INPS-IDN visited Issatsu no kai, a Japanese NGO, dealing with gender empowerment for 50 years, at its office in Tokyo on November 29 to assess recent cooperation including FAWA convention in Singapore in September and the official visit of King and Queen of the Kingdom of Lesotho in November, co-organized by them. Both parties explored further cooperation in connection with Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the empowerment of women.

Photo: Collage of photos from the Banquet and their majesty's visit to Fukushima.

Documenting Japan Visit of the King and Queen of Lesotho

INPS-IDN made film documentary of the Banquet honouring King Letsie III and Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso.

Co-organized by Japan Lesotho Friendship Association, NPO Issatsu no Kai, and Africa Development Association at Meguro Gajo-en on November 24, 2016.

Katsuiro Asagiri, president of INPS Japan also accompanied the Losotho delegation to film their majesties visit to disaster affected area of Soma City in Fukushima prefecture on November 26.

Photo: Kazakh President Nazarbayev addressing Japan's Parliament. Credit: Official Site of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Reporting Kazakh President's Visit to Tokyo and Hiroshima

INPS-IDN reporta Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's visit to Japan from November 6-9 including his visit to Hiroshima that suffered U.S. atomic bombings along with Nagasaki 71 years ago.

President Nazarbayev who closed the former Nuclear weapon site of Semipalatinsk 25 years ago became the first head of state to visit Hiroshima since the U.S. President Barack Obama's historic visit there in May 2016.

Photo: The UN General Assembly Hall. Credit: Manuel Elias/UN.

Reporting the Landmark Resolution at UNGA

INPS-IDN reports the landmark resolution adopted by the United Nations on October 27 for launching negotiations in 2017 on a legally binding treaty outlawing nuclear weapons.

Ozaki Yukio Memorial Foundation Celebrates 60th Anniversary

INPS-IDN documented the 60th anniversary event of Ozaki Memorial Foundation (Chairperson: Tadamori Oshima, house speaker of the House of Representatives) held at the Parliamentary Memorial Hall on October 28, 2016 with over 150 participants.