The Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace Celebration Concert was such a uniting event, held on The International Day of Peace, Sept 21, in Kazusa Akademia Park Main Hall, in Kisarazu, Chiba, Japan.
The opening act for the evening was a beautiful piano solo by Yukie Ikebe who is one of the founding members of JUMP (Japan United For A Ministry Of Peace). Yukie is very active in her work supporting JUMP in the Kansai area of Japan. Following her performance was the Kanto Hibiki Daiko, a children‘s Japanese drum group based in Kisarazu, Chiba, led by Sadao Itou. Sadao started the group after he saw violent disputes in Universities around Japan and the world during the ‘60s and ‘70s, with the hope that the unifying beat of the taiko drums would help to unite the hearts of all who listen.
Participants from twenty countries took part in the opening ceremony of the Third Global Summit for Ministries of Peace by the Global Alliance with each country’s representative displaying their logo. Dot Maver, executive director of The Peace Alliance as well as the representative of the Global Alliance, gave a profound and inspiring speech.
During the intermission that followed everyone relaxed and got to know each other in the foyer. There were various peace related stalls as well as a photo exhibition put on by Days Japan, the top alternative photo magazine in Japan.
Then the second part of the concert got under way with an amazing performance by Yae, a popular singer here in Japan who happens to live in Kamogawa, the same city where I live. Yae is a farmer, like myself! She has one son and is expecting her next child!
Yae was supported by Aska, a world class violinist, as well as a guitarist and percussionist.
Aska then performed some of her own compositions that were inspired and written as she traveled around the world... Everyone was thrilled by her truly amazing technique! Her heartfelt original songs moved and united every single one of us in the hall... Yae and Aska then performed together again... What a wonderful combination they make! I just wish there were more people in the audience who could who could have enjoyed their music. Check out this excerpt from the concert...
We at JUMP are working together with the other Global Alliance members to create a world where war and violence are the things of the past. I am so happy and honored to be working with people from around the world who have the same committement as me.
I hope you too will join with us to bring about a peaceful world for all!
Yumi