Aoba-Japan International School and Family Community Donates 2 Million Yen for Noto Peninsula Earthquake Recovery Efforts 7 August 2024

Aoba-Japan International School (A-JIS) and the A-JIS Family Community are pleased to announce a donation of 2 million yen to aid in the recovery efforts following the recent earthquake off the coast of the Noto Peninsula. This donation, which includes 1 million yen from the school and 1 million yen from our Family Community, aims to support the rapid recovery and rebuilding of lives for those affected in the region.

Donation Overview:

A-JIS takes its commitment to community support seriously, particularly in the wake of natural disasters. The decision to contribute to the Noto Peninsula recovery efforts was made by the A-JIS Senior Leadership Team, with funds directed to trusted charitable organizations that are actively involved in local recovery initiatives. In addition to this donation, A-JIS remains dedicated to supporting rural areas impacted by natural disasters through its annual domestic charitable giving program. Together, we can make a difference to help our neighbors recover and rebuild. Thank you to the A-JIS community for your ongoing support of our commitment to lead positive change.

Message from Mr. Paul Fradale, Head of Hikarigaoka Campus, on behalf of the Aoba community

Aoba-Japan International School has long-standing ties to Ishikawa Prefecture. Besides personal connections, such as faculty and staff members who were raised or lived there for several years, our school has been sending our middle school students and teachers on week-long residential trips each October for nearly a decade. These trips focus on experiencing the deep history and rich cultural heritage of Ishikawa, with a particular emphasis on traditional arts and crafts. Our students invariably cherish their time in Ishikawa and deeply appreciate the artistry they encounter there. Wajima lacquerware and Suzuyaki pottery are among the many traditional crafts in Ishikawa, renowned both nationally and internationally.

Seeing the photos of the destroyed workshops, kilns, and community centres deeply affected our school community. Having endured the 2011 Tohoku earthquake ourselves and witnessing the prolonged recovery of artisan communities like Mashiko in Tochigi, we feel compelled to assist the Noto Peninsula communities in some small way. We believe that donations are the most effective means to help the community rebuild. We sincerely hope that these contributions will aid the artisans and families of the Noto Peninsula in rebuilding their communities and preserving their precious legacy of traditional crafts for the future.

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