Report on Operations
for Fiscal 2006

New Plan for "The Program for Children's Activities in Local Community"
Community Classrooms for Children Project: project under consignment by
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of JapanThe Goi Peace Foundation"Earth Kids Space" Management Committee

Introduction
In connection with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scienceand Technology (MEXT) of Japan's initiative set out as the "Community
Classrooms for Children Project", the Goi Peace Foundation was given agovernment commission and has been active in its mission, offering Earth
Kids Space sites nationwide at 21 locations in ﬁscal 2005 and at 29 locations
in ﬁscal 2006.
The Earth Kids Space site is an innovative kind of spot where local
children and adults can freely visit for fun and play, learning side by sidethrough a variety of activities.
The Foundation has been working to ensure each Kids Space site offers the children the opportunities to develop a spirit of love, harmony, andgratitude as they learn the culture of their community, understand culturesthat differ from their own, and otherwise take part in various activities sothat they may become aware of what "the spirit and life" may mean to themthrough direct interaction. The site serves to help children grow, equippingthemselves with an attitude of tolerance and altruism, while enjoying eachother's company.
The members of the Earth Kids Space project have also been supporting the vision of the "United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable
Development (2005–2014)", addressing the needs arising from its execution.
The Foundation continues to renew its mission's purpose, ceaselessly
striving for the realization of the "regeneration of education," which will be
the Japanese government's grand policy for decades to come.
As we report on our operations for ﬁscal 2006, we wish to express ourheartfelt thanks to the Lifelong Learning Policy Bureau of the Ministry of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as well as the Boardsof Education, which have kindly provided us with guidance and support. We
feel equally indebted to the various administrative bodies, schools, NGOs/
NPOs, and corporations as well as the numerous individuals having stood by
us in their respective communities.
The Goi Peace Foundation
March 25, 2007

Earth Kids Space Report on Operations
for Fiscal 2006

New Plan for "The Program for Children's Activities in Local Community"
Community Classrooms for Children Project (project under consignment by
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan)

CONTENTS
01
02
06
07
08

Introduction
Contents
Growth, Vitality and Excitement:

The Expanding Reach of Earth Kids Space
Earth Kids Space and Its Four Objectives
Education as Viewed by the Goi Peace Foundation
Earth Kids Space: Program Activities
Three Promises

Earth Kids Space Press

09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23

Messages from 29 Locations Nationwide
DATE
OSYU
SENDAIHONJO
GOI
KAMAGAYAOTASHINAGAWA
SUGINAMISETAGAYAKOGANEI
YOKOHAMAKAWASAKI
HAYAMA-YOKOSUKA
KURINOKONIIGATAONOHIMAWARIFUJI
NAGOYA
TAKARADUKA
KOYOENOJI
TOKUSHIMANANGOKU-TOSAFUKUOKA
MUTSUGOROKUMAMOTOKAGOSHIMA
OKINAWA

24
25
26

Suggestions from Earth Kids SpaceViews of the Professionals
Glad News of Change and Voices of Commendation:

28

Record of Interaction with Various Individuals

30

Goi Peace Foundation:
Plan for "The Program for Children's Activities in Local Community"
Practical Guidelines
Coordinator and Security Manager Roles
Commentary
Declaration for All Life on Earth

31
32

the Children are Changing

With Supporters of Child-Rearing, Parents, and Local Community Members

Report on Operations for Fiscal 2006

1

The Expanding Reach of
The Earth Kids Space project, which started in May 2005, produced successful results in its
inaugural year at 21 locations nationwide. Moreover, in its second year, ﬁscal 2006, it expanded tocover 29 locations. The project is a manifestation of "The Program for Children's Activities in Local
Community"; implemented while executing a commission assigned to the Goi Peace Foundationby the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan. With thesupport of many, Earth Kids Space was oﬀered more than 3000 times in total throughout Japanover the past two years, exceeding the 100 mark in terms of per-site average.

As of March 2007,
Earth Kids Space have held

3164

29

events.
DATE(Hokkaido Pref.)OSYU(Iwate Pref.)

ONOHIMAWARISENDAIOJI

NIIGATA

TAKARADUKA

KURINOKO

KOYOENNAGOYA(Miyagi Pref.)(Fukui Pref.)(Niigata Pref.)(Nara Pref.)(Nagano Pref.)(Hyogo Pref.)(Aichi Pref.)(Hyogo Pref.)

TOKUSHIMA

HONJO(Saitama Pref.)

SUGINAMI(Tokyo)OTA(Tokushima Pref.)(Tokyo)NANGOKU-TOSASHINAGAWA(Kochi Pref.)(Tokyo)KAMAGAYA(Chiba Pref.)

GOI(Chiba Pref.)KAWASAKIFUKUOKA

FUJI(Kanagawa Pref.)

KUMAMOTO

KOGANEI(Kanagawa Pref.)

KAGOSHIMASETAGAYA(Fukuoka Pref.)(Kumamoto Pref.)(Kagoshima Pref.)MUTSUGORO (Saga Pref.)
OKINAWA (Okinawa Pref.)2

Earth Kids Space(Shizuoka Pref.)(Tokyo)(Tokyo)

YOKOHAMA
HAYAMA-YOKOSUKA(Kanagawa Pref.)In ﬁscal 2006,
Earth Kids Space was held at

29 locations nationwide.

Report on Operations for Fiscal 2006

3

4

Earth Kids SpaceReport on Operations for Fiscal 2006

5

AboutEarth Kids Space and Its Four Objectives

Autonomy

Harmony

The motivation and willingness to take responsibility
for one's duties and obligations

The ability to initiate
communication and cooperation

Global Understanding

Love and Peace

A perspective that encompasses the entire world
and a spirit of appreciation toward the earth

A spirit that desires to be helpful
to people and society, and to contribute to peace

Education as Viewed by the Goi Peace Foundation
The Goi Peace Foundation believes the fundamentals of education can be summarized in "Declaration
for All Life on Earth" and need to be shared by all mankind.

Education as Pursued by the Goi Peace Foundation
Educational Philosophy
Human beings are members of a global community oflife; we must cultivate an awareness of our responsibility
and mission toward this community and carry the mission
into action.
Goals of Education
T h e F o u n d a t i o n s t r i v e s to f o s te r t a l e n t a n dcharacter that will contribute to the realization of theaforementioned ideals.
Areas of CoverageWith the philosophy of lifelong education as theguiding principle, the foundation's educational activities
shall cover a wide range of areas, including social
education, family education and school education.
View of ChildrenChildren, as stewards of the future of the global
community of life, are precious beings. Along with their
physical bodies, they have an awakened consciousness of
their membership in the global community of life.
Views on Education
The Foundation regards education as a means ofraising awareness to the levels of life/conscious mind,
guiding children and adults alike to ﬁnd out what it means
to be alive.
The Foundation's Educational Values
1. Reverence for life
2. Respect for all diﬀerences
3. Gratitude for and coexistence with all of nature
4. Harmony between the spiritual and material
Education in Practice
The Foundation aims to realize the principles of6

Earth Kids Space"Declaration for All Life on Earth", manifesting values thatare significantly needed in modern society by offering
Earth Kids Space in communities. It believes educationin practice consists of the creation of a sense of trustand security while children and adults play and interact
in a friendly atmosphere. In this atomosphere, all areencouraged to rise above race, ethnic groups, religion,
politics, and other diﬀerences and learning along the way
through various experiences.
Rules of Behavior
Three Promises
1. I will not make a nuisance of myself
2. I will do what I can for myself
3. I will help others when I canIssues Currently Being Addressed
It is regrettable that the conditions have prevented
the conventional school system to take up such spiritualvalues as those associated with life, love, harmony, andgratitude, and lacks in training that pertains to "thespirit and life." Home and community, two institutions
traditionally assigned with the roles of teaching thefundamental meaning of "the spirit and life", appear to beunable to fulfill their functions, creating much concern.
In an attempt to address the situation, the Goi Peace
Foundation is currently formulating a methodology via
which it may promote a new educational setting firmly
rooted in communities and upholding the educational
ideals and values which are in line with "Declaration for All
Life on Earth".
The Foundation also supports the "United Nations
Decade of Education for Sustainable Development(DESD)," which began in 2005, expressing its agreement
to its tenor and engaging itself with related tasks.

Earth Kids Space: Program Activities
Characteristics
The activities of Earth Kids Space are carried out with considerable emphasis on education that is basedon "the spirit and life" and that is conducive to the fostering of character.
At any of its sites, the characteristics and traits of the individual children and instructors are thoroughly
considered when planning and hosting programs to take full advantage of the characteristics of thecommunity in question.
The particulars of these programs are based on the practical ideals and principles of "Declaration
for All Life on Earth" being upheld by the Goi Peace Foundation and encompassing four disciplines. Of
particular importance is "Global Understanding," for which the Foundation is well known owing to its many
accomplishments as the operating body of Earth Kids Space, offering experience-oriented activities withthe cooperations of various foreign participants residing in their respective communities, including those
representing UNESCO and other international organizations as well as embassies in Japan.

Program Outline
Program for Spirit and Life
Life, an Irreplaceable Gift
Thinking About the Meaning of Life
Learning from "Freddie the Leaf"
Finding Positive Qualities
Tour of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
Wonders of Life Learned from Seeds

Program for
Global Understanding
Getting in Touch with the Vastness of the Universe
Becoming Acquainted with Embassy Members
Preparing and Trying Out Ethnic Dishes with Others
Getting to Know the Culturesof Others Through Fun and Play
Knowing the World Through National Flags
What If the World Was No More Than a Villageof 100 People
Learning Through Esperanto
Getting to Know Foreign Students in Japan

Importance of Words and Spirit
Making Thank-You Cards
Learning the Spirit of Harmony
from the Tea Ceremony
Japanese Leaving a Name in the World
Giving Thanks for the Food Before Us

Program for Tradition andCulture of Local Community
Giving Farm Work a Try
Learning What It's Like to Be a Volunteer
Getting to Know the History and Culture of
Our Community
Introducing People with Remarkable Skill
Exploring Our Town
Bon Dancing
Building a Portable Shrine
Local Dishes
Local Performing Arts
Getting to Know the Local People(ﬁreﬁghters, policemen)

Play and Communication
Series of Traditional Japanese Games
Magic Show
Building Musical Instruments by Hand
Making Balloon art
Trying Woodwork
Making Finger-Knitted Muﬄers

Building Big Houses Using Cardboard
Camping Out with Others
Puppet Show
Visiting a Planetarium
Making Our Own Picture Postcards
Making Tablecloths

Report on Operations for Fiscal 2006

7

Earth Kids Space

1 I will not make a nuisanceof myself
2 I will do what I canfor myself
3 I will help others when I can

These promises are recited in unison by children sometime during
the day at an Earth Kids Space site. They sum up the ideals of Earth
Kids Space, namely, Autonomy, Harmony, and Global Understanding
as well as Love and Peace. As the children recite these promises
out loud together, they take them to heart, soon showing an attitude
indicative of the promises. We continuously hear of reports attesting
to the effectiveness of this practice. Of special note here is that adults
themselves are also beneﬁting from the practice.

8

Earth Kids SpaceMessages from 29 Locations Nationwide

The Earth Kids Space project has been implemented at 29 locations nationwide,
hosting its programs more than 3000 times to date. Let us share some experiences frompeople having taken part in its operation over the past two years. Their experiences arerich and are introduced here as messages from Earth Kids Space, where "the spirit andlife" are being fostered.

Earth Kids Space

DATE

coordinator:

Yuko Omura

location: Hokkaido Pref.
venue: Michael College of "Hibiki no Mura""Children Simply Model Themselves on Adults"
What is vital is that we must fully realize that "children
simply model themselves on adults." Of pa r ticula rimportance is the nature of the family and the relationshipbetween the mother and father. If we embraced our children
with love and with a sense of harmony and gratitude, oursociety would not be so egotistical.

"World Video Games That Wipes Out
Imagination"
We urgently need to eliminate violent games from oursociety, which seem to represent the "evil" side of what
adults offer to our children. In the virtual world, a person
dies and readily comes back to life. The children arelosing their imaginative faculties rapidly, and instead ofdeveloping a mindset it is likely to render them incapability
to appreciate the importance of life. Adults must recognize
this fact and put a stop to it immediately.

"Set Aside Time to Embrace the Souls of
the Children"
More often than not in a single-child household,video games are used to baby-sit children or TV is used
to raise the child. If so, I would like to call on his or
her mother and father to listen to what the child has tosay about his or her day instead. Spending even as little
as ﬁve or ten minutes for physical contact embracing
the children's soul.
Today, children keep to a minute-by-minuteschedule filled with daily events like after-school
tutoring. At an Earth Kids Space site, there are nohectic schedule to follow but only gentle passage oftime. Instead of handing out instructions, we instead
guide the children so that they will not compare
themselves against others but come to know it is
OK for individuals to be different from others, andrespecting the Three Promises. We are promoting
Earth Kids Space for the very reason that we hope allof us can care for "the spirit and life."

Report on Operations for Fiscal 2006

9

Earth Kids Space

OSYU

coordinator:

Kimiko Hosokawa

location: Iwate Pref.
venue: Community Center, Nature Park, and Others"Network of People Growing Through Kids
Space"
Local communities are joining hands, helping promote
Earth Kids Space with a fast-growing network of people.
In addition to the initial staff members, who have beenwith us since the start of the project, it now includes people
from educational and various other ﬁelds as well as foreign
residents. While grateful for the ongoing expansion, we arealways considering ways to convey things that we cherish
in our lives, such as what "Declaration for All Life on
Earth" sets out to impart.

"Let Us Be Thankful for Each Other"

this area, sending out messages asking people to join us andoffer what they can. We sincerely hope that our children
will equip themselves with the ability to be thankful for all
those things around them.

"The First Thing We Do in Life"
When a baby is born, he or she starts to draw in abreath on his or her own without help, starting off various
cells so that he or she can function as a human being. We
cannot begin to describe the importance of breathing, yet
we will soon forget. We think a person has an obligation
to ﬁnd out the things that are important yet often taken for
granted and buried in oblivion, pointing them out to thoseborn after him or her.

"Thank you for playing with me, for coming to pickme up, for meeting me here, and so on and so forth."
Being capable of thankfulness means being capable ofrecognizing positive qualities in others. It is relatively
difﬁcult for traditional education systems to cover spiritualareas, and that is where we come in. We are delving into

Earth Kids SpaceSENDAI

coordinator:

Hideko Izumi

location: Miyagi Pref.
venue: Community Center"We All Love Children"
When we adults tell children that we simply love
them, they are more likely to approach us with a sense ofease, knowing that "this place is not for studies, and we
can join others and play." They will soon develop a goodunderstanding of the meaning of the "Three Promises" if
we teach them while they are at play. In a community hall,a child may put the shoes of others in order because thesight of neatly arranged shoes is pleasant and makes him or
her happy. Doing so may also lead to praise because he or
she has helped others with extra labor. It has never been thecase that children cannot do so, but rather that they havenever been taught to do so. We want Earth Kids Space toserve as a place where the key elements are communicatedto the children.

"Recognizing Our Own Merits"
Once there was a child who never recognized any ofthe many merits with which he was endowed. He disliked

10 Earth Kids Space

everything about himself. Several months passed however,and he came to like himself and, moreover, developed theability to ﬁnd positive qualities in others. We often hear of
adults unable to appreciate themselves, but we want themto discover how wonderful they actually may be. Once a
person learns to like him- or herself, he or she will be able
to persevere under any hardships.

"The Mere Fact of Having Been Given Life and
Its Priceless Signiﬁcance"
Every single child has potential and is an amazing
being. We are here to point out the very qualities that makechildren such wonderful beings. We are learning to doso through practice. The children here make suggestions.
Some are saying, "Let's send out a message of love sothat the world will join us in spirit, wanting to makeeveryone happy." The mere odds of us having been born
are utterly incredible, which makes me want to appreciate
the happiness of being simply alive and to take this fact toheart.

Earth Kids Space

HONJO

coordinator:

Kaori Horikawa

location: Saitama Pref.
venue: Elementary School"Fostering the Bud of Imagination"
Children never stop to amaze me with their richimagination. How wonderful it would be if we could
provide them with an education "without nipping the budof imagination." I feel it is important that we seriously
consider how we may develop the character and creative
abilities in children in all educational settings, not just
Earth Kids Space.

"Transcending the Vertical Relationships andSimply as Friends""Unassuming Stance Helping to Communicate
Things of Importance"
When the Earth Kids Space project was ﬁrst put into
practice, I needlessly drove myself to teach. In the courseof carrying out various activities, however, I have come toterms with matters and decided a natural approach is best. I
feel it all boils down to the Three Promises. I am indebted
to the various school teachers and the parents of thechildren, who have kindly and patiently watched over us.
They have been a great support, and I am ever so grateful.

Although the ages of children visiting an Earth Kids
Space site span the entire range of grades, they still getalong remarkably well and all goes well. Here, the vertical
relationship is impressively positive in that older children
take good care of the younger ones, each showing a naturalrespect for the other. I am always reminded that the place isan epitome of a society operating in harmony.

Earth Kids Space

GOI

coordinator:

Kazuko Teruilocation: Chiba Pref.
venue: Citizen's Hall

"Everyone is a Family Member"
We are offering Earth Kids Space in an extremely
family-like atmosphere. All of us comprise a single family,of which each one of us is an indispensable member. I am
going to continue to strive so that all children will share thesame aim of discovering the joy of doing and experiencing
things together; ultimately ﬁnding out "how happy we all
are being born members of Planet Earth.""Earth Kids Space, a Place Where One Respects
Himself and Others Alike"caring for themselves and others alike. The ability to offer
just such a place is no doubt the value of Earth Kids Space.

"Real Wisdom Is Found in Love.
Come Those Endowed with Deep Love"
When I first came across these words, I thought tomyself that if real wisdom may be found in love, there must
be some good wisdom to be found within myself. Rather
than as a so-called educationist, I want to practice theideals of Earth Kids Space as an ordinary mom, working toprove that "real wisdom is found in love."

Adults are all busy. Parents, those in the field of
education or child-rearing, and school teachers are allpressed for time. They work within a framework in which
each task must be completed within a specific time slot,
and this fact seems to make it difﬁcult to raise children ina genuinely caring atmosphere. That is exactly why it is so
important to offer a place where the children are free toexpress themselves while time passes ever so peacefully,

Report on Operations for Fiscal 200611

Earth Kids SpaceKAMAGAYA

coordinator:

Minako Sumoge

location: Chiba Pref.
venue: Community Center"Sense of Being Loved"
Having a genuine sense of being loved by people
around them is exceptionally important to children. If wewant them to feel loved, we must discover good qualities
in each of them and recognize them as often as we can,avoiding giving instructions or trying to control them. I
always feel that the key here is to support and encourage
the children so that their positive qualities will continue togrow.

"Only One in the World, the Importance of Life"We must constantly remind ourselves that each childis unique and there is no other exactly like him or her inthe world. Knowing that, parents and schoolteachers must
respect the character of each child. Only when we realizethat life is priceless, will we be able to respect individual
differences and help develop individual characteristics. It isperfectly OK to be different from others. Each is wonderful
based on his or her own merits. Moreover, children possess

Earth Kids Space

OTA

coordinator:"What's on the Minds of the Children?"
What is important, I believe, is for us to find out
what the children are thinking and what they want to tell
us as often as we can. Subsequently, we must respondby ensuring that they feel that they are all dear to us.
Regardless of whether they are good at studies or acting
rather roughly, it is important that we accept their very
existence itself. I joined Earth Kids Space out of the sheer
desire to let the children know that "I am happy with themaround and have been wanting to meet them."

Keiko Nakano

location: Tokyo
venue: Cultural Facility of an Administrative District"Children Must Have a Place of Their Own"
How many places are there in Japan where children
may freely engage in activities of their own choosing
without instructions imposed by adults? Be it by schools orby after-school institutions, instructions are being forcedon them from above. These days, I cannot help but feel that
Earth Kids Space might be the only place where children
are received with an understanding spirit and allowed to be
who they are. I think we must keep it going and, moreover,spread its ideals more widely.

"Creating a Society Where Various Places andPeople Readily Involve Themselves with theAﬀairs of Each Child"
There are only so many children which each of us iscapable of tending, and I am afraid the current situation
does not permit us to talk to individual children whilelooking into their eyes. A child may have any of a variety
of problems or simply be seeking attention. When such

12 Earth Kids Space

inﬁnite possibilities. I want to teach the children throughmy work at Earth Kids Space that they can accomplish
many things if they just try.

a child holds on to us, never letting go from the moment
he or she visits us, we will not be able to look after otherchildren. We must start to provide, society as a whole, atype of education that will not lump all children together
in one bag. We could foresee a signiﬁcant change in childrearing if we were able to create an environment in which
each child were given access to a variety of places andpeople who look after them.

"Making Sure the Air Is Right"
When a child visits, he or she comes in a mooddifferent from that of others. One may come in highspirits with friends, while some come to vent stress. All
in all, the happy air of the staff members is indispensable,brightening up even the poorest of moods. One of the great
joys of taking part in Earth Kids Space comes when I see
the faces of children ﬂushed with happiness as they leave
the site.

Earth Kids SpaceSHINAGAWA

coordinator:

Hisae Harada

location: Tokyo
venue: Children's House"'Harmony' as a Theme""One Mind for One Common Goal"

At the Earth Kids Space site in Shinagawa, the theme
has been "harmony." We chose the "calm" of the tea
ceremony and the "dynamic" of theater as the binding coreof our activities, and have come to learn three important
things; namely, to respect others, to thank others, and see
the good in others.

By rep eat i ng t he T h re e P rom ises du r i ng eachsite visit, the children developed a good sense of thesituation at hand, gradually becoming capable of showing
consideration and expressing gratitude in appropriate
words. We then staged a show and, in doing so, havelearned the significance of working toward a common
goal, with children and staff members being of one mind.
An opportunity to be able to practice repeatedly and build
experiences is indeed valuable. I am hoping that children
will have such an opportunity so that they will learn themeaning of "harmony", which we have chosen as thetheme of Earth Kids Space in Shinagawa and will equipthemselves with what it entails.

"Learn from the Tea Ceremony and Theater"
Through the tea ceremony representing "calm," weput into practice gratitude and respect toward others byacting in line with its canons, often based on humaneconsideration and values. As for theater representing"dynamic," we have been working to discover positive
qualities in others by studying the performances andactions of people, and repeatedly referring to the resulting
observations when determining our own actions. All these
efforts have led to respect toward others.

Earth Kids Space

SUGINAMI

coordinator:

Kyoko Arakawa

location: Tokyo
venue: Private Institution and Community Center"Concentration as a Means to a Sense of
Accomplishment"
We are entrusted with children, who are the genuine
treasures of us all, making it truly vital for us to ensurethat they spend time safely without injury. Next comes the
fun — we must see to it that the place is an enjoyable one.
Third on the list is that we should never stop to remindourselves that the children should be taught to learn toconcentrate on what they choose and achieve a sense ofaccomplishment. The experiences they have with us, I am
sure, will someday prove to be a great help when they try
to accomplish something.

"Building Up on Each Step for a Big Dream"Upon setting a record, Ichiro, the baseball player, said
something to the effect that "a dream will not come true
overnight." There must be truth in the saying that a dreamis realized through small steps taken day to day. I want
the children to have big dreams and hopes, and I want tocommunicate to them that we are always there rooting forthem, equally when they are at or away from an Earth Kids
Space site.

"Showing That You Love"We know that parents care deeply for their children
and therefore come to appreciate the ideals of Earth
Kids Space, encouraging the children to take part in its
programs. Surprisingly, though, it seems that the children
lack a solid feeling of being loved. I feel adults owe it to thechildren to express how much they love them more often,
even at the expense of seeming rather overwhelming. The
time allowed by most school teachers is insufﬁcient to pay
the attention required to individual children while they
may be passionate about their wellbeing. This fact adds
extra signiﬁcance to a place like an Earth Kids Space site
in that it can afford to readily recognize the very existenceof children and approach them with love. Although the sites
may be small in size, collectively they can prove to be a
driving force big enough to change the nature of education.

Report on Operations for Fiscal 200613

Earth Kids SpaceSETAGAYA

coordinator:

Kimie Seki

location: Tokyo
venue: Children's House"Sharing Solutions to Child-Rearing Matters""Through Fun and Play with Foreign Students"

Today's adults appear to be rather afraid of "facing"the children. Parents and children, or teachers and pupils,
must seek a chance to open up, looking into one another'seyes. When this is done, there is bound to be a trusting
relationship, providing a good understanding of what ﬁlls
the children's minds and consequently leading to solutions
to various concerns and problems. What is important is
to teach the meaning of life so that children will solidly
understand. Once the life of a child starts to shine, there
will necessarily be blooming of his or her talent, ability,
and life's missions. The Child-Rearing Counseling Forum
will be continued in response to requests from mothers
in Setagaya. We hope that this program will help ease thecares of the mothers, laboring under loads of worry in theabsence of a listening ear in today's competitive society.
The program has also led to a new development, in which
parents are taking an active part in Earth Kids Space
activities.

Our efforts to involve foreign students have enabled
the children to ﬁnd out that there are varieties of people onearth and, regardless of their differences in language andcustom, they are all like the people around them. What ismore, they learn this through fun and play. We are doubly
happy to note that the students themselves say the site
offers a place where they are not mere "foreigners" butrather "individual human beings."

Earth Kids SpaceKOGANEI

coordinator:

When we approach children showing that each oneof them is precious and important to us, the children will
respond by showing happiness, turning all of us present into
one happy bunch. Praising positive qualities will lead to an
attitude that readily challenges difﬁculties.When they growup and leave Earth Kids Space, I hope they will hold on to
the spirit of the place, taking good care of themselves andfriends and growing even bigger with their eyes to the world.

Taduko Ikeda

location: Tokyo
venue: Assembly Hall

"Bringing Out the Character of
Individual Children""I found this quality in that child," says a staff member.
"Well I came across this quality in that child myself," says
another. We all perceive things differently, and this is
why we share those positive qualities we ﬁnd in children
with others. By doing so, it seems that such discovery is
unstoppable, bringing to light those precious qualities thatseem to have remained hidden. I am once again remindedof the importance of recognizing how wonderful children
are in education.

"A Sense of Certainty Founded on 'Declaration
for All Life on Earth' "A situation can be reduced to the four principles*of "Declaration for All Life on Earth". For instance, abirthday party may be used as a means of communicating
the signiﬁcance of the life and existence of each individual.
In future, we are planning to introduce programs based

14 Earth Kids Space"Each One of Them as the Only Beingin the World"on "food-oriented education" and hoping that we will beable to learn the pricelessness of life and the value of foodjointly with parents.
*See the end of this booklet.

"Children Assuming Diﬀerent Demeanor"
One of the staff members has started an educationrelated job and left Earth Kids Space. Some time later,
she told us she did not come to genuinely appreciate thevalue of Earth Kids Space until she left it, saying that thechildren assumed a different demeanor at the site, and thatthe place was free and full of fun. At times, we have thechance to learn that our efforts are getting across to thechildren. We are always trying to create a comfortable,
heartwarming, and harmonious atmosphere, and it makes
all staff members happy whenever we hear that our efforts
are being appreciated. I think Earth Kids Space is a place
where children and adults share in life's joys and learn
through play.

Earth Kids Space

YOKOHAMA

coordinator:

Fusako Fukumoto

location: Kanagawa Pref.
venue: Assembly Hall

"Children Know What Is Important"Once I asked the children what they think is importantfor everyone to go on living, telling them to choose fromthe things they come across from the time they wake until
they go to bed. When I thought we had exhausted thelist including "food" and "water," I decided to close thesession by asking them to write the same down on cards.
Subsequently, a second-grade child said, "Spirit," joined byothers all expressing agreement. The last one to speak out
was the naughtiest of all children, who said "Life." WhenI asked the children to write down 5 important thingsfrom among all those that had been cited, many children
indicated these two things.

the doors to the future. The earth is turning with the hopesof all the people of the world on it…" Through the song,
we have been feeling together how precious the world andmankind are and how beautiful the future can be.

"Riding the Tide of a New Era"
Views on education and the world are changing
quickly. We can no longer afford to leave the topics of spirit
and life under taboo. Moreover, the children have alreadystarted to ride the new waves of the 21st century. Here, I
ask those in the ﬁeld of education to take up these topics
with a sense of conﬁdence.

"Singing the Song 'Believe' Together"
At Earth Kids Space sites, we sing or recite the wordsof the song 'Believe' at some point in each program. It has
been three years since the song started to appear in school
textbooks, and the lyrics read something like "Open up

Earth Kids SpaceKAWASAKI

coordinator:

Hiromi Aizawa

location: Kanagawa Pref.
venue: Children's House"Child-Rearing is a Divine Vocation"
A teacher is often said to have a divine vocation. For
that very reason, I want the teachers engaged in the workof educating children to reflect upon themselves with aview to equipping themselves with the qualities expectedof respectable educators. The same applies to child-rearing.
It is also a divine vocation, and parents, family members,
and individuals like us, whose work relates to childrearing, must all look in the mirror, freeing ourselves ofself-centered ideas and instead interacting with children
with unlimited love. It would be simply wonderful if we all
could do so.

something that has taken place at school or home. What is
important is for us to have a ready attitude that will detect
the smallest of such signs as well as the ability to respond
appropriately.

"Tell Us More"I always want the children to tell us adults what theywant to do and what makes them feel more lively. Children
are life itself. Interacting directly with them through Earth
Kids Space, I have had a chance to learn a great deal fromthem. I am full of gratitude and feel I need to thank themfor all the things they have taught me.

"Pay Full Attention to the Facial Expressionsof the Children"Children come to an Earth Kids Space site with happy
faces. At times, however, they show us unexpected acts,
which are usually accompanied by small changes in theirfacial expressions or attitudes. It may well be the result ofReport on Operations for Fiscal 200615

Earth Kids Space

HAYAMAYOKOSUKA

coordinator:

Katsumi Kagehisa

location: Kanagawa Pref.
venue: Community Center"Using Hands Stimulates the Brain"
I have been making handicrafts and grew up producing
hand-made items, which helped me overcome a school
phobia. To help me d raw upon my exper ience, myinvolvement with Earth Kids Space is mainly based on
handicrafts. Making something using our own hands helps
develop our imagination, ﬁlling our minds with new ideas.
We use our hands ﬁrst, then our brains are stimulated. At
an Earth Kids Space site, boys and girls who have taken aliking to making things come together, develop the ability
to enjoy themselves through imagination alone, without thehelp of computer games or TV. When the children go homewith what they have made, the mothers are so delighted
that they tell others, which helps make Earth Kids Space
more and more widely known through word of mouth.

them that they are free while they are here. The children
vary in age, and there is no way they all want to do thesame thing. This is why our first aim is to create a place
where they can be who they are and think of the site as acomfortable place to be.

"Listen to What the Children Have to Say"
Let us stop telling the children what we want. Instead,
let us find out what messages they are sending us anddecide what we can do about them. I want the children tohave a kind heart and real inner strength. Experiencing
what it means to be "self-reliant within oneself" throughhandicraft, word games, and various other activities is vitalfor the children.

"Be Free and Be Your Natural Self as Our Motto"
We are making the site a place where children canfreely choose what they want to do, constantly reminding

Earth Kids SpaceKURINOKO

coordinator:

Hiroko Yamaura

location: Nagano Pref.
venue: Community Center"What a Moment's Decision Indicates""Cultivating Sensibility and Using Wisdom"

When we interact with children, we are often facedwith situations that call for instant decisions, and suchdecisions tend to be indicative of our lifestyle and thinking
from day to day. In other words, these decisions are
determined by the very values we have."What kinds ofvalues we have" is important for us. Adults and children
alike, all make decisions through our interaction with thosearound us by, choosing appropriate decisions and taking on
the consequences.

Where today's education is concerned, I feel sense andsensibility is crucial. Putting sensibility into concrete form
necessarily calls for the use of wisdom, and I think the typeof wisdom borne out of experience rather than knowledge isneeded here. While interacting with the children, we havemade Earth Kids Space a venue of great fun, and I havelearned a lot. Now, I am full of gratitude to the children.

"Observe but Do Not Analyze"
As staff members, we often remind ourselves of theimportance of "observing well" rather than "managing."
We have been consciously striving to carefully observe andhave been riding out various issues by drawing upon ourown resources. In so doing, we have always made sure that
we never "analyze."

16 Earth Kids SpaceEarth Kids SpaceNIIGATAcoordinator:

Masumi Inouelocation: Niigata Pref.
venue: Youth Center"What Is a Kind Heart?""Respect for Initiative"

A person who seems kind is quite different from agenuinly kind person. A process that involves deciding
what genuine kindness is and actually feeling such
kindness is what is needed. A kind heart is invisible andnot readily noticed. I feel more efforts need to be made in
the ﬁeld of education to foster just such a heart in all of us.

We have local mothers taking part as staff members,
and they are joining others in making various suggestions
that pertain to the planning and operation of programsin line with specific ideas. We started a program called"Let's Play in English" with the help of native speakers of
the language in the local community, and the program has
drawn pupils from the community who are returnees toJapan from overseas. This fact has indicated to me the needfor such a program in various communities.

"The Best Thing Is to Be Your Own Self"
Each one of us is unique in that no one in the world isexactly like us. Adults and children alike, we only need
to work on ourselves with self-improvement in mind. As aresult, we will soon come to respect ourselves and get alongwith others, being able to associate with others and express
what we truly feel. Each one of us may be different. To live
is great fun, and merely being alive is simply wonderful. I
want the children to realize this fact.

Earth Kids SpaceONOHIMAWARI

coordinator:

Sachiko Matsuda

location: Fukui Pref.
venue: Public Center"Get to Like Yourself"
As a member of an Earth Kids Space site, I am no
exception in wanting the children to truly love themselves.
I feel the need for adults to pay more attention to children
and recognize the good in individual children, clearly
indicating that each one of them is wonderful.

"Find Out What You Really Want to Do""The World Is Waiting For You with Such
Wonderful Things in Store"
Creating a world and making it a wonderful one, inwhich children can fully pursue what they want when theygrow up, is a task assigned to all of us. Won't you join us in
telling the children that the world is waiting for them andhas such wonderful things in store? Let's join hands andmake such a world a reality.

Now that we have been born, we must have something
we want to do. It would be great if a person, for instance,
could listen to what the children want to say and coordinate
their wishes by way of guiding them and helping themdevelop their endowments. Doing so requires a type of
education that recognizes individual children and thathelps create a society where all live while serving duties ofour own choosing. We want the children to ﬁnd out what
they really want and do it to their hearts' content. I see big
possibilities in an Earth Kids Space site as a place that will
trigger just that.

Report on Operations for Fiscal 200617

Earth Kids Space

FUJI

coordinator:

Idumi Yamashita

location: Shizuoka Pref.
venue: Community Center"Come Visit Us at Our Earth Kids Space Site for
Fun and Play"

while communicating to the children that we want us all togrow side by side.

Fathers, mothers, and all of you in the fields ofeducation and child-rearing, please set aside some timeand come visit us at our Earth Kids Space site. If only you
could feel its joyful atmosphere on your own! Soon, youwill see a trusting relationship developing between us andwith your children.

"Education in an Age in Which Human
Resources Count a Great Deal""A Natural Stance Toward Children andNatural Self in Ourselves"
At an Earth Kids Space site, we first and foremost
ensure the children are safe and free of hazards that could
lead to injury. Subsequently, we build up a place where we
may assume a natural stance, acting without unwarranted
concern, fully giving vent to such feelings as joy, happiness,and sadness.
At the site, we have been offering diverse programs
that give us all a sense of unity. We want to continue thisEarth Kids Space

NAGOYA

coordinator:

W h a t i m p o r t a n c e d o e s o u r c o u n t r y pl a c e o nindividuals? Despite today's emphasis on the importanceof human resources, we do not see any all-embracing,
all-inclusive attitude in it. In specific terms, its budget
must clearly indicate who does what if we are to expect"good results." What is needed here is for us to change thecountry's administrative system and the nature of its higher
education. I see many issues for us to address for the sakeof our children and our future.

Noriko Shibata

location: Aichi Pref.
venue: Private House"The First Thing to Do Is to Build a Trusting
Relationship"of its truth, and what is important is how we approach andbring it out into the open.

Of all things that take place at an Earth Kids Space
site, we devote most time to communication. Ever since
the site was first opened, we have considered it vital that
we find out what the children want and need. Doing sonecessarily involves building a trusting relationship withthe children.

"Observing the Children's Inner Self""Showing the Willingness to Play Together"As adults, we must avoid the attitude of "teaching"something to children. Rather, we must recall that there
were so many things that we did not know when we were
small so that we may go back to the very basics of "playing
together." For instance, if we want to communicate theimportance of life, stating "life is important" in a brusquemanner will likely fail to move the children's hearts, attimes causing them to develop dislike for the very idea wewant to convey. Deep down, the children may well be aware

18 Earth Kids SpaceAs they freely enjoy themselves, the children seemto grow while learning many things, enabling us adults
to grow with them. They are very carefully watching us,
and they are quite sensitive. They also tend to take on asomewhat rebellious attitude in response to acts on ourpart such as being over-serious, too insistent, or otherwise
casually relating how it was like when we were small. In
any situation, it is important that we have the inner self ofchildren in mind and develop a good understanding of thesame.

Earth Kids SpaceTAKARADUKA

coordinator:

Keiko Asai

location: Hyogo Pref.
venue: Elementary School"Not Comparing with Others"
What makes us unhappy starts when we begin tocompare ourselves with others. Later, we may come torealize that the cause of our unhappiness is a matter ofextremely little significance. The mere act of comparing
prevents us from such realization, as doing so usuallycauses us to lose sight of our values. Put another way, if
we develop a ﬁrm set of values, we can free ourselves of
unnecessary mental agitation. I want mothers to know
this. Discover and praise the children's positive qualities.
There is bound to be a dramatic change in them and I hopemothers can experience this on their own.

"Providing a Footing for Future Endeavors"

our efforts will be amply rewarded if the children, several
years down the line, come to feel that Earth Kids Space has
become an indispensable part of their lives.

"With the Sanctity of Life at the Core"
At school, ch ild ren spend time wit h in va r ious
constraints, be they the number of hours or the content ofsubjects. Nevertheless, we must never forget that educationneeds to be approached with "the sanctity of life" at its
core, regardless of the constraints imposed upon us. A
child completely absorbed in doing something of his or her
own choosing is such a wonderful sight, and I believe thevery fact that we are watching them is in itself a form of
encouragement.

Occasionally, we call on professionals to visit the Earth
Kids Space site so that the children can experience things
that they cannot ordinarily experience in school. We would
be more than happy if they could discover things that areto their liking and worthy of their enthusiasm. I am sure

Earth Kids Space

KOYOEN

coordinator:

Taeko Fukuoka

location: Hyogo Pref.
venue: Public Facility"What Is Real Education?"
Today's educational system evaluates children in termof scores, which says "If you try hard, and get this you will
be successful." By doing this, the system molds children toadapt to the needs of society. Many people wrongly assume
that this is the real "education". What is "real education"? I
believe it is reminding ourselves "how wonderful each andevery child can be.""Let's Recall How Wonderful We All Are"
We all have forgotten how wonderful we all are. I want
the children to ﬁnd out that "they are truly amazing, great,and just wonderful." It is as simple as remembering. I want
not only the children but also those in the ﬁeld of education
to recall it. All staff members of Earth Kids Space arealways thinking of ways to communicate this fact to thechildren in our own words.

"Upholding the Four Canons of 'Declaration
for All Life on Earth' "The thing I have always kept in mind throughout
my association with Earth Kids Space has been the four
canons* of "Declaration for All Life on Earth". They
encompass all that are important. Koyoen has been
fortunate in that it has benefited a great deal from the
support of the local community. We interact with local
people transcending the limits of differences in age. Thereis also contact with nature, which is precisely the setting
for our Earth Kids Space site. I cannot help but hope thatthe children will recall "the real self" within themselves atthis very site, where the spirit of "Declaration for All Lifeon Earth" is fully alive.
*See the end of this booklet.

Report on Operations for Fiscal 2006

19

Earth Kids Space

OJI

coordinator:

Takako Kato

location: Nara Pref.
venue: Public Facility"You Are Given Only One Chance at Life"
Today, we often hear of suicides committed by children.
Is it because they are unable to ﬁnd themselves importantthat they treat life so lightly? If only the adults around themhad taught them the importance of life on occasion, things
might well have been quite different. Tragic incidents aretaking place. When I think of the tender years of thosechildren, the sadness is just too much to bear.

"Children Are a Reﬂection of Adults"
If parents drive children in an effort to keep up withtoday's competitive society, the children will have no
choice but to respond accordingly. I want them to embrace
their children with limitless love. Likewise, although I
cannot help but sympathize with teachers assigned to socalled disturbed classes, I also want them to keep showing
love. I want them all to bear in mind that doing so will soonbring about results in the form of the children reﬂecting thelove they have been given. Anything that involves children

Earth Kids SpaceTOKUSHIMA

coordinator:"The Importance of Attaining the Real Feel ofan Experience"
We used materials such as "Freddie the Leaf" and"Glass Rabbit" at our Earth Kids Spacesite. They represent
the importance of life, and we used them with a view toconveying the spirit of "Declaration for All Life on Earth"through heart-to-heart communication rather than directlywith words. I am sure these stories have given the children
a chance to really perceive the sadness of death and theimportance of life. I feel we have been fortunate in that we
had access to a variety of ways to express our ideas in aplace visited by many children, in order to appreciate theimportance of life while spending time together.

Setsuko Kori

location: Tokushima Pref.
venue: Community Center"In a Warm, Home-like Atmosphere"
Through the city's Board of Education, we have been
distributing a monthly bulletin to the six neighboring
elementary and junior high schools to let them know
how the children are doing at Earth Kids Space. Thiseffort has not only provided information but also helped
build a channel of communication with the teachers andindividuals in charge of pupils. In the community, further,
we have called upon elderly members to take part in Earth
Kids Space, resulting in our renewed appreciation of awarm, home-like atmosphere through interaction spanning
three generations.

"Adults Learning Side by Side with theChildren"Under the auspices of local policemen and ﬁreﬁghters,
we had a chance to learn about patrol cars and ﬁre engines.
Through the cooperation of a local driving school, we
attended road-safety classes that used real motorcycles,

20 Earth Kids Spaceis the responsibility of adults. People in the past often said"adults have to do everything they could for their children,
even putting their lives on the line." The children will soon
be taking on the responsibilities of the next generation,and it is even more important now than in the past that weassume such a responsible attitude.

passenger cars, and large-size vehicles, raising ourawareness of trafﬁc safety. An opportunity in which bothchildren and parents can undergo a learning experienceis truly valuable. These programs were made throughassistance offered by the local community.

"Listening to the Children's Cry for Help"Children are being manipulated amidst the ceaselessly
diversifying values of today's society. We adults must not
be misled by the superficial impressions of children but,rather, need to perceive the real messages they are sendingus. That is our responsibility. I sincerely hope that Earth
Kids Space will soon spread throughout communities,
offering a place where children and adults alike can takepart in the programs being undertaken in keeping with thespirit of "Declaration for All Life on Earth".

Earth Kids SpaceNANGOKUTOSA

coordinator:

Mitsui Tanaka

location: Kochi Pref.
venue: Aikido Training Hall, Private House"Children — Sleeping Cubs with Potential
Waiting for Us to Wake Up"
The basics of education are found in the love shown by adults to children andthe trust held by children toward adults. I feel the importance lies in building sucha relationship. Children who have often caused problems in the past have changed
a great deal. Although once known for violent behavior, some of the children havestarted to show a serious attitude, studying of their own accord, achieving good
grades, and acting with a sense of camaraderie. One tried exceptionally hard inathletic events. Another with a phobia of school began to communicate better andbetter with his father through aikido practice and suddenly started to go to school
once again. The list of wonderful results does not stop there.

"Emphasis on Learning Through the Body"
We enjoyed walking on stilts, making straw horses for the Tanabata festival,
spinning tops, and other traditional games. To further get in touch with nature,
we also sowed radish seeds and peas and tried planting and later digging sweet
potatoes. All these activities are carried out with the emphasis on "learning
through the body." Aikido practice is one of our weekly activities. There arechildren capable of quickly learning how to do ukemi, for example, with someEarth Kids SpaceFUKUOKAcoordinator:

proving to be better on the right side and others on the left. Of course, there arechildren who are not good at learning how to do Ukemi. We would tell them,"That's quite all right. Everyone is different," never comparing one against another.
And whenever a child does well, we promptly praise him or her. They, in turn,reward us through their quickly improving skills, giving speciﬁc shape to theirpotential.

"Leaving Behind an Excessive Emphasis on
Knowledge"
Down through the ages, people have upheld "knowledge, virtue, and physicalbody" as qualities to strive for. Evaluating children on the basis of test scoresalone is nothing but an excessive emphasis on knowledge. We each differ in regard
to our strengths. Naturally, one child may perform well in studies while anothermay prove to be good at athletic activities. The situation could well take a turnfor the better if we introduced a more comprehensive system of evaluation, withthis very fact in mind. Today's situation, in which children often need to attend
after-school classes for a place in a good school and a comfortable life to follow,
must be corrected immediately; such as a sixth-grader having to sit through afterschool tutoring! What a waste, all the more so when we recall how important thatparticular year is in one's life.

Chieko Uesugi

location: Fukuoka Pref.
venue: Citizen's Center"In a Free Atmosphere, in Keeping with theChildren's Way of Passing Time""Let Us Recover the Spirit of Wa and Build a
Tolerant World"

We decide what to do in advance with respect to each
day's activities at the site. In practice, however, we adapt
ourselves to go along with the changing atmosphere of thesite. We want the children to experience what they cannot
in school, and we join them and move with them in the
direction they take us. It is all because we want them toknow that we are thinking of them first, communicating
how their very presence is important and how we love them.

As early as elementary school, children are constantly
exposed to competition. Parents need to protect themfrom the stress caused by such competition. As for thosein the ﬁeld of education, I want them to provide a type of
education that will bring back a sense of tolerance, i.e. thespirit of wa, which is deeply ingrained in, if you like, theDNA of, individual Japanese. Building a world in which we
can all live together with a sense of fulﬁllment — that iswhat we can do for our children and is one of the pressing
issues currently facing our country.

"Learn to Love Yourself"
We want the children to learn to love themselves, treat
themselves with respect, and express themselves the best
they can. One other thing — we want each of them to ﬁnd
something he or she can commit him or herself to, turning
it into something that he or she can use in contributing tosociety. This is our message from Earth Kids Space to all
our children.

Report on Operations for Fiscal 200621

Earth Kids Space

MUTSUGORO

coordinator:

Fumiko Fujii

location: Saga Pref.
venue: Community Center"A World That Examines Processes Rather
Than Results""Concentrate on the Positive Qualities ofChildren"

As we carry out a variety of activities for Earth Kids
Space, we try to value the processes that children go
through, striving to ﬁnd out what goes on in their minds.
We are not looking at results alone. We want to noteconsiderate or kind feelings in the hearts of the children,
while also instilling a sense of security so that they know
they need not change. It seems none of us is fully awareof the severity of competition imposed by our society. I
am speaking from my personal experience when I say it is
crucial that we leave its value system behind.
Equally important is that adults take responsibility forconsequences. Children are most gravely hurt when they
see an evasive attitude in adults. I cannot help but feel thatchildren are always watching adults, their deeds not words.

Previously, I went through a phase during which thenegative aspects of children seemed to be appreciably more
noticeable when I came across particularly noisy or naughty
individuals. At one point, I decided that I would not begoing anywhere, no matter how much I thought about thesituation, and the decision enabled me to concentrate myattention on the positive qualities of the children. WhenI tell the children about the things that impressed me, forinstance by fax, the next time they visit the Earth Kids
Place site, it is likely to be with a happy face.

Earth Kids SpaceKUMAMOTO

coordinator:

What I want to communicate to the children is the
sparkle each one of them has. Also, I want them to knowthat I wish to spend this wonderful moment with them,fully enjoying each other's company, since I feel each
moment is unique and will never repeat itself.

Seiichi Inouelocation: Kumamoto Pref.
venue: Meeting Room in a Clinic"Earth Kids Space Has Principles"
I n December 20 0 6, t here was a meet ing of 42
organizations associated with the government's Place forChildren plan through the good ofﬁces of the Kumamoto
Board of Education. What seemed to draw the attentionof everyone present was the way Earth Kids Place isupholding its principles. The clarity of its principles andits equally clear direction, we were told, were remarkablecharacteristics of Earth Kids Space, reaffirming ourconviction in regard to the way it is being operated.

"Need for a Place Where Children Can Spend‘Child Time'"
This place is where children may freely express
themselves, in the way they have been born. Children may
rightly think schools, families, and Earth Kids Space arequite different from one another. Here they know they canspend the type of time that is inherently theirs, i.e. unlike
those hours created to suit the convenience of adults, when

22 Earth Kids Space"Everyone is Sparkling"

they come to an Earth Kids Space site. I believe we havesuccessfully established an environment where the children
are as lively as can be and engage in activities of their own
choosing and, importantly, where they are praised simply
for who they are and what they do.

"Basing on the Three Promises"
When we ask the children at the end of the day if they
have kept the Three Promises and if they did what they
could for themselves, all raise their hands. One day, I asked
if anyone had made a nuisance of him- or herself, and no
one thought so. I then asked if anyone had helped anybody,using extra effort that remained after having done his or
her work. One child raised his hand. (He happens to be
the prankster of the group.) When asked how he did so, heanswered, "In various ways," to which I responded, "Goodfor you!" He felt he did help in many ways, even if he hit
somebody else. The "extra effort" may be interpreted indifferent ways, but I saw in him how the children are taking
the Three Promises to heart.

Earth Kids SpaceKAGOSHIMA

coordinator:

Makiko Uchimura

location: Kagoshima Pref.
venue: Old Private House and Others"What Mood Will the Children Be in When
They Come Visit Us Today?"I remember a day when a few trivial words changed
the atmosphere of the place. Up to then, we had all had agreat time. Whenever I try to ﬁgure out the cause of a childtaking out his or her frustration on things or starting a ﬁght
with other children, I cannot help but feel that we adults
are missing something important. A negative change in theatmosphere can very well take place, spoiling the children's
desire to have fun with friends. When such a change
occurs, I think it is important to have a good understandingof what goes on in individual children's minds rather thanleaving the matter to them to solve.

"Importance of Heart-to-Heart
Communication"
So that the parents may have a chance to spend moretime with their children while observing them and thinking
alongside them, we are offering a special monthly forum.

Earth Kids SpaceOKINAWA

coordinator:

We have enough space to accommodate all interested
parents. A visit to the forum will provide the parents with
an opportunity to find out how the children are trying
to keep to the Three Promises as well as the processes
through which the children come to develop a sense ofunity. Watch the children with a loving heart and growtogether with them. We want the forum to help parents doso and expect more and more parents as well as the local
community to take an active part in it.

"Each One Is a Truly Wonderful Being"
An Earth Kids Space site is a place where all its
participants regard the Three Promises as their own andadults try to communicate with the children through heartto-heart contact. Put another way, it is a place where theirmind and life begins to shine. As I spend time in such aplace with others, I see to it that I communicate to every
single child how wonderful he or she is to us.

Emiko Nakata

location: Okinawa Pref.
venue: Public Facility and Others"Adults May Take a More Natural Stance— We Can All Learn from Our Children"
Adults go through various experiences in society,taking on layers of heavy clothing. We want to be free by
removing such layers but find doing so rather difficult.
Children are different. They come to us with a bare heart.
Interestingly, adults who, although puzzled initially, playwith the children tend to show lively faces. It may wellbe that what it means to have a genuine heart or what isessentially important in life is learned from children.

"Running Together with the Children andWorking Up a Sweat"
At our Earth Kids Space site, I have always tried toassume a natural stance and see things through the eyes ofchildren. What is more, I intend to enjoy myself more thananyone around. Rather than letting the children play in apark and being a silent observer, I have been trying to seethat all staff members, including myself, have fun with thechildren. Thanks to the efforts, we often hear from parents
that they enjoy Earth Kids Space and feel like coming back.
Mothers are extremely delighted. One day, a self-employed
local gentlemen referred to his positive impression of Earth
Kids Space, and we were more than happy to invite him totake part. We welcome participation.

"Let's Have a Chat Now and Then, Even After
You Grow Up"
I am always amazed by children. A problem-prone
child can unexpectedly grow up to be a dependable one,
ready to show leadership. Every one of them is wonderful.
How happy they seemed when I held them in my arms andtold them I loved them and wanted to have a chat now andthen, even after they grew up! I want to continue to let themknow about the great power they hold inside.

Report on Operations for Fiscal 2006

23

Watching children furnishes us with a good understandingof our society. If we see a problem in them, we can rightly
suspect the presence of a problem in today's society.
So that we may be able to see our children sparkle with life,
we have decided to make observations of today's educational
system and society itself and oﬀer them for consideration.

No! to Games That Devalue LifeT V games and computer games have become
rampantly popular among children.
Among such games are those that devalue of life.
They are numerous and, even if rated "R," any child haseasy access whenever they decide to play. What will
become of children who are engrossed in such games?
A child may utter a stream of such words as "Kill"
and "Drop dead." Human beings die easily and in large
numbers yet come back to life equally easily. Are they
not treating life ever so slightly? We know the immense
impact of these games on juvenile delinquency. Is it notabout time we started to ask all adults to assume a ﬁrm
attitude in denying such games to children? Let us cut
once and for all the vicious cycle of producing thesegames because they sell and selling them because they
are produced. Let us appeal to CSR (Corporate Social
Responsibility) so that restrictions may be imposed on
their production and sale. One can remain a child only
for so long. Once lost, the time will never return.

Learn from Mother Nature

All is Different, and All is Wonderful
Today's ﬁeld of education is devoted to raising thescholastic level of all students equally, and children witha handicap are often put into remedial classrooms apartfrom others so that those in a regular classroom will
have more or less the same scholastic level.
The fact may be indicative of the special response
and support provided to meet the needs of children
with handicaps but, on the other hand, could well leadto the labeling of children once they are found not tobelong to certain standards.
With a view to practicing the second canon of"Declaration for All Life on Earth", i.e. "Respect All
Diﬀerences," we at Earth Kids Space undertake activities
adopting a stance in line with the ideas "each may be
diﬀerent from another" and "everyone may remain as heor she is." Partly for this reason, we are accommodating
children with or without handicaps alike in a single
group at some Ear th Kids Space sites. There, thechildren support each other and enjoy themselves in aremarkably natural way. The planet Earth is not only forchildren free of handicaps.
All children are equally important beings, who haveeach been given precious life, and their mere presence
is priceless.

— Work toward Real Pressure-free Education!

Leaving Behind a Competitive Society

Is Today's Japan Not Too Busy?
Earth Kids Space often takes the children out foroutdoors activities. The smell and feel of soil, changing
seasons, and so forth, have become something of ararity today. These activities offer us experiences thatallow us to come into direct contact with nature, andwe think highly of them.
As one of our outdoor-oriented programs, we oﬀer
farm work. This program has been prepared so that we
spend ample time, ensuring we have thorough contact
with nature. We sow and make direct observations
until the plants are fully grown, learning that too longa period of rain will hamper growth while a spell of
dr y weather will cause them to wilt. These direct
observations enable the children to develop a sense ofgratitude toward nature. Then, when they have takencare of the plants and the plants, in turn, become
ready for harvesting, the experience often becomes a
priceless memory, deeply ingrained in the minds of thechildren.
Time passes ever so peacefully in nature. I believe
so-called "pressure-free" life is present during suchpassages of time.

Parents come to us for advice at an Earth Kids Space site
as often as the children. As we talk with them, we cannot
help but feel that they also are suﬀering from stress.
It seems one of the causes of the stress is theirinability to genuinely like themselves or develop a senseof conﬁdence. They could well have been exposed toerroneous values, and this fact might have planted asense of inferiority in them.
Parents have lived through a competitive society, as
their children are now experiencing. They grew up having
people constantly comparing them with their peers,pushing them to attend better schools and gain better
employment with great pressure. As if reacting to theirhardship, they are now forcing their children to sit throughafter-school tutoring for better schools or otherwisechoosing to satisfy their psychological needs with material
wealth, for instance, by wearing top-brand items.
Today's society is approaching its limits becauseof its disproportionate emphasis on materialistic andcompetitive values. Let us leave such things behind as
fast as we can and start building a society that values
spiritual wealth. Doing so will guarantee children whose
inner life is rich in spirit and ﬁlled with sparkles.

24

Earth Kids SpaceIn response to the Suggestions from Earth Kids Space, a number of renowned professionals
have oﬀered us messages in connection with today's child-rearing practice, the possibilities
of education, and other topics.
Here, we present messages from three individuals in the form of Views of the Professionals.
Mr. Hiroo Osanai is known as an authority in the ﬁeld of mixed education of autistic andnon-autistic children and Mr. Muneaki Uchiyama is a specialist in educational methodology.
Ms. Yuko Omura, meanwhile, is known for her active involvement in Steiner education.

Turning Japan into a Land of Children It Once Was

Director of the Musashino
Higashi Education Center
Former Principal ofMusashino Higashi JuniorHigh School

Hiroo
OsanaiMorse, an American zoologist who visited Japan between the end of the Edo period
and the beginning of the Meiji period, wrote, "Japan is a paradise for children." What
made him feel that way may well have been the country's environment at the time, inwhich adults watched over children with warmth and the entire community took part inchild-rearing.
Everyday, I come into contact with the cheerful faces of children suffering from somedevelopmental problems, and watching each of them grow gives me the greatest joy. At
times, parents share with me how they feel, saying "He has grown so well, it's almost
incredible. As his parent, I am so proud! Words fail me!"Children have so many things they want to tell us. They may not necessarily put
them into words, but recognizing these will make the children feel appreciated and beimmensely beneficial to their development. The priority, I believe, is for us as adults
to catch the smallest signals they are sending and stay by their side for heart-to-heart
contact.

Earth Kids Place, a Project That Encapsulates Inﬁnite Potential

Assistant Professor of
Kogakuin University

MuneakiUchiyama

Earth Kids Place is both directly and indirectly addressing various education-related
issues of today's society, and its content attests to its potential as a vehicle for a brighter
world and future. Although primarily intended for children, its activities encompass
diverse fields, including multi-cultural education, environmental education, life-long
education, and the types of education that pertain to the needs of local communities aswell as interaction among generations, all rooted in "Declaration for All Life on Earth"
aimed at the development of profound views on life and the world. In this regard, itsseemingly multifarious themes may well be reduced to a single ideal. Expectations arehigh in that the ingenuity and creative imagination of individuals are serving to expand
its organizational framework, turning it into a wonderful future network of people, one inwhich messages from children are shared by us all.

As a Presence Consisting in Beauty, Virtue, and Truth

Director of Hibiki no Mura,
Michael College

Yuko
Omura

Every single child has been born with an assignment and mission. Our role as adults
is to encourage individual children to ﬁnd and carry out their assignment, and help themaccomplish their mission. To that end, we need to guide them so that they may develop
a mind (emotion = virtue) that can feel the world found within them, the ability to thinkout what they have felt (intellect = wisdom), and the strength to put what they havethought out into action, using their own physical endowments (will = strength). All theseare made possible by coming into contact with things that have beauty and people who
possess virtue as well as by learning the truth. In other words, it amounts to us being apresence equipped with beauty, virtue, and truth.

Views of the Professionals
25

The Children Are Changing
Here is a record of changes that took place, attesting to the spirit of the Three Promises and"Declaration for All Life on Earth", taking root in the hearts of all children coming to an Earth Kids
Place site and the individuals associated with the project.

ce a child
There was onalldifferent tocompletely in
m.
hi
nd
ou
ar
that went on
saw a friend
One day, heputtin g away
sy
bu
s
wa
o
wh
activity.
an
r
te
af
gs
thin
started to
he
,
er
ft
ea
Ther
nd.
ha
a
nd
le
willingly

A change also
occurred in
one girl. As
she took partin
the activities
of Earth Kids
Place, she st
arted to use
more girl-lik
e exleaving behind pressions,her previous
rather roughsounding
language. Th
e tone of hervoice also to
ok a turn, now
sounding quite
pleasant.

eds Space sit
O ur Earth Ki
ren rangin g
ild
ch
es
at
accommoders.
to ﬁfth gradfrom second
owed
sh
n
re
ild
ch
Initially, thet they soon
hesitation, bu
nt on their ow
ac
to
d
ne
lear
les,
their own ru
on
d
se
ba
the
and
ng up alon g
ki
ma
d
an
g
arguinway.
es
in upper grad
The children
ose in the
th
of
re
ca
take goodem. Some of thlower grades
g the
in
lp
he
d
te
ar
have even sters.
staff membchild showed
At ﬁrst, thet or tried toensmembarrase Promises.
reTh
mock thehers inot
As he joined
Promises,recitin g thestarted to
however, heleadin g the
in
r
ee
nt
lu
vo
recitation.
its
in
rs
othe

The children began
reminding one another,"We promised neverto make a nuisance of
ourselves" at the ﬁrst
sign of a problem.

A child could not ﬁnish
thehomework gi
ven by school,no matter ho
w much time
he spent on
it. He startedparticipatin gin the Earth
Kids Space
activities,
however, and now ﬁnish
es
his school wo
rk amazin gly
fast.

A sense of
initiative hasstarted to develop in theminds of thechildren,tu rnin g themfrom passiveto active pa
rticipants.

A child
who w
habit
a
of exp s in theec
to d oall thin tin g adults
gs ford ay sa
him onideof mys , "I will tak
e ca r eelf, doin g th
my o win gs on !" Thne r eaf t
starteer,dwithou to do clean u het helpp w o rkfr o m anyone.

cta trip to colle
We went on
A childs.
ut
rosp
bamboo've always
later said, "Ibut
oo sp routs,
hated bamb
are
ey
Th
.
em
now I like thtrip helped
tast y! " The.
eatin g habits
r
he
t
ec
corr

A child once
played all byhimself, withlots of noise
anda stern expr
ession. However,he chan ged.
He now canjoin acircle of friends, sin gingtheThank you song, and eventakespart in the"Thank You
Water
Prog ram". A
child who hadrefused any
approach byothershas developed the "spiritofgratitude,"readily show
in g kind
expressions.

rkable. He
are just rema
activities
The chan ges
e
th
in
g
icipatinw takesstarted partnodanSpace,
collectionof Earth Kidsdtethe desig na
g all on his
inout trash toildapartment bu
and thepoint of hisd,has stabilizearown. His mind
opped. We he
st
s
ha
r
vio
ha
eccentric be
rp rised and
su
th
bo
e
s ar
the neighbore. Today, hethe same tim
ds readily toimpressed at
on
sp
re
d
ony anoachin g them
prefers harm
pr
ap
,
rs
g of othe
offerin g
the sufferindanys them crof paperwhen he hearripst
mfort. On a
, he wrote
eewords of cotra Tanabata
and makeadreto be hu ng on
for peace. Sp
es
sh
wi
e who
os
ith
th
"W
sin g
ppy," impres
ther.
ever yone ha
mo
n
ow
s
hi
udin gread it, incl

She came to join us with her mother and sister. We
were told by her mother that, although a third grader,her mental ability is about that of a four-year-old
child. She was described to us as being extremely shyof people but, about three months later, she graduallybecame capable of communicating with people. She alsocame to us the following year, taking part in an activity
in which we all sowed seeds called "Haruka's sunﬂower,"
remembering Haruka-chan (Haruka Kato, who lost her
life in the Kansai earthquake). When the seeds started
to bud, we went to the ﬁeld to watch, looking forward
to the ﬂowers. Around that time, she became able togreet the staff members, gradually began to play withother children, and also started to come to the Earth
Kids Space site unaccompanied. (Her mother would
come only to pick her up.) She comes to the site saying,"I'm back!" Then, she plays with others chatting here
and there. When she comes across her friends from
Earth Kids Space at school, she shows a friendly face
and waves her hand in greeting. She has indeed grown
up considerably in these past two years.

"Mom, don'tcome and pi
ck me up too early.""What's ‘some(from a conv thin g great'?" "It mean
ersation betws
een children) ‘in ner mother'.""This is myvery special
place.""This placelets me forg
et about unfeel less tir
pleasant thined."
gs. It evenmakes me
"I want there always to
be a place lik"This placee this, wherlets me staye I can rela
until my mothwhile I'm hex."re."er comes ba
ck. I know I'"I can go tom safethe Earth Ki
Good night! "ds Place site
(before gointomorrow ! I
g to bed)
just can't wa
it.

"To me, Earth Kids Space is a place that has allowed the wishes of many parents to be realized in concrete form.""We had moved recently but, thanks to the site, our child made friends and is enjoying the activities.""The child has learned the difference between being "self-serving" and "free" through the use of his body. By
associating with others, he has learned the signiﬁcance of knowing that people have different characteristics andthe importance of having a ‘considerate heart'.""It's easy to see why the Earth Kids Space site is ‘Full House'!""When our child returns home from the Earth Kids Space site, he starts talking to us with a proud face. He is
lucky to gain experiences not possible within the conﬁnes of a small house like ours.""Digging up sweet potatoes, making candles, crafting chopstick sleeves for New Year's, and jumping such a hugerope were all new experiences for my daughter. She used to be such a shy girl, but now she is full of life. It issuch a delight listening to her stories. It simply makes me happy.""I was given a ﬁnger-knitted mufﬂer my son made at the Earth Kids site. He shows a caring, although blunt,concern with words like ‘It's cold. Just put it on!'""It's common for a parent to have excessive expectations. As I had increasing contact with Earth Kids Space,however, I came to prefer 'relaxed ways'.""I would be more than happy if there were such an opportunity on a regular basis. Even once a month would do.""Throughout the past two years, Earth Kids Space sowed wonderful seeds of hope in the hearts of the children
and instilled an inquiring mind, paving the way for ceaseless love and a bright future."Record of Interaction with
Various IndividualsWith Supporters of Child-Rearing, Parents, andLocal Community Members

We received a great deal of help and support from parents and local members.
We wish to introduce some of the interactions so that we may be able to share them with you.

NANGOKU-TOSA

Local Mother Teresa, Working in Close Touch with Members of an Elementary SchoolAt the Earth Kids Space Site, Nangoku-Tosa, we frequently get intouch with the principal and teachers of a local elementary school(Tosa Municipal Takaoka No. 2 Elementary School) and, as necessary,attend their staff meetings. In these meetings, there is an active and mutual
exchange of information, reporting on the activities of Earth Kids Spaceand on the lives of children at school. Going beyond the bounds of schooland Earth Kids Space, we often discuss with teachers issues that relate tochildren and parents so that we may ﬁnd the best way to respond. For achild, the Earth Kids Space site is a "place where his or her heart belongs."
We feel the high conﬁdence placed on us by parents as good advisors inthe ﬁeld of child-rearing.

Pouring Letters

KOYOEN

Support and Trust from the Conference on the Protection and Care for the Youth of the CommunityT

he local Koyoen chapter of the Association for the Promotion of the Wellbeing of Youth have offered us support and showed trust in our work. With theirreassuring and encouraging support, we have undertaken activities ﬁrmly rooted in thelocal community over the past two years. One of our joint undertakings is the Cross
Cultural Exchange Between Koyoen and Algeria, planned by the Association, PTA,
and Space Kids Space to commemorate the foundation of Koyoen Elementary School.
We are happy to note here that the Chairperson of the Association kindly suggested thecontinuation of joint activities between the Association and Earth Kids Space.

Received a Good Idea Award!

Entry in the Kachashi Meet

We sent entries to the Children's
Idea Contest, sponsored by the Honda
Motor Co. Ltd., and two children fromthe Earth Kids Space Site in Suginami
received a Good Idea Award.

The children from the Earth Kids
Space Site in Okinawa took part in thelocal Kachashi meet and left with agood memory.
Ryukyu Shimpo newspaper, August 6, 2006

28 Earth Kids SpaceKUMAMOTO

Implementation and Exchange Forum for "The Program for Children's Activities in Local Community"

I

n Kumamoto prefecture, the Committee for the Promotion and Vitalization of Local
Education in Kumamoto hosted an exchange forum, inviting operators active inconnection with the Place for Children plan. The forum was devised with the aim ofproviding individuals with the chance to come together for the mutual exchange of
information so that the Place for Children plan may be promoted for implementation
in local communities in the coming ﬁscal year and beyond. The individuals included
coordinators serving as leaders of groups implementing local children's classrooms andthose from the safety management committees. The forum also offered a photo panel
exhibit by 42 organizations engaged in undertakings related to the Place for Children
plan in Kumamoto. The exhibit served to offer the visitors and participants of theforum an introduction to their work. The Kumamoto branch of Earth Kids Space also
took part in the exhibit, introducing its views and ideals and presenting the results of
its activities. The exhibit received a good response, as indicated by the strong interest
shown by members of the Kumamoto Board of Education, who made a comment to theeffect that Earth Kids Space espouses a clear set of ideals.
TAKARADUKA

Help from a Group of College Students Organized for Education on Global UnderstandingWe have an Earth Kids Space site accommodating children from two elementary
schools (Nagaodai Elementary School and Sakuradai Elementary School, bothin the city of Takaraduka). The site is used by more than 100 participating children andis ﬁlled with their explosive energy. Here, we must mention a group of supporters whom
we can always count on and who are always ready to join the children at play by wayof responding to their overﬂowing energy. They are the members of Club Geordie, set
up in Kansei Gakuin University. The members are actively participating in activities of
the Earth Kids Space site in Takaraduka, offering a variety of programs that pertain todevelopment education (international understanding) for the children.
SETAGAYA

Participation by Many Foreign StudentsNumerous foreign students visit Setagaya. Around the time when the Earth Kids
Space site was ﬁrst opened, the children responded by crying out "Foreigner!" atthe sight of a foreign student. After months of interacting with them, however, they havebecome less and less conscious of the difference in the color of skin and of different
languages, taking on an international attitude without being taught. On the other hand, weare told by the participating foreign students that they feel no sense of alienation at all at
the Earth Kids Space site, which would usually be felt by foreign residents. They also saythat they are positively surprised that the children come to them in the most natural way.

Taking Part in
the Wish Upon the Moon! Campaign
Children from the Earth Kids Space Site in Koyoen
took part in the campaign, which called on children
to send in messages so that the lunar probe Selene
could take them to space (sponsored by the Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency).
A variety of messages were sent by the children, asking for"peace to everyone," "peace to the Earth," and so forth.

Report on Operations for Fiscal 2006

29

Fiscal 2006

Goi Peace Foundation:
Plan for "The Program for Children's Activities in Local Community"
1 Project team for the Goi Peace Foundation's "Community Classrooms for Children Project"(1) Parent organization
This project is the result of a direct assignment by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scienceand Technology (MEXT) of Japan, under its "Community Classrooms for Children Project." Under thisconsignment, the Goi Peace Foundation will carry out measures aimed at developing a nationwide network.
(2) Management committee
The foundation will establish a management council to oversee operations of this project.
1 The council shall be named:
The Goi Peace Foundation "Earth Kids Space" Management Committee.
2 Committee members:
Chairperson:
Kenji Tomioka (President, Gunma Prefectural Women's University)
Vice-chairperson: Koji Tomita (Executive Director and Secretary General, Goi Peace Foundation)
Committee members: Fujio Aihara (Certiﬁed Public Accountant)
Atsushi Aritomo (Former General Manager, International Sales Support Division, Fujitsu Limited)
Muneaki Uchiyama (Assistant Professor, Kogakuin University)
Osamu Onodera (Executive Director, Outdoor Education Foundation for Youth)
Takayuki Deguchi (Director, Goi Peace Foundation)
Kaori Horikawa (Managing Director, Horikawa Medical Corporation)(3) Coordinators
A single individual assigned to each place, 29 locations in total nationwide(4) Meetings
Operating Committee: 3 times yearly (May, October, January)
Coordinator Meeting: twice yearly (October, January)Workshop (intended for coordinators and safety management members)
General Workshop: once yearly (August)
Local Workshop: 5 regions nationwide, twice yearly in each region (May, December)

2 Speciﬁcs of Goi Peace Foundation's "Community Classrooms for Children Project"(1) Name of program: Earth Kids Space(2) Basic approach

Through activities that emphasize person-toperson and heart-to-heart contact, Earth Kids Space
events will promote an understanding of other cultures
through direct experiences of those cultures, andwill assist in nurturing a spirit of love, harmony andappreciation by fostering an essential understanding ofmatters of "the spirit and life." By pursuing the goalsof this project, the foundation will aim to create placesof harmony and pleasant informality where children
can interact with society, and also to contribute to
the creation of healthier communities by developing
these events into opportunities for parents and othermembers of the community to assemble and to learn
from children as well as to teach them.

(3) Outline of activities

To date, the foundation has developed and carriedout a number of new programs aimed at fosteringinternational understanding, including its "School
Lecture by Diplomats Project," "International Essay
Contest for Young People" (sponsored by MEXT),and "UN's International Day of Peace Education

30 Earth Kids Space

Program" (also sponsored by MEXT). Cooperation
received from the embassies of the various countries,
the United Nations, UNESCO and other internationalorganizations made these events possible. In terms of
the present proposal, the aim will be to take advantageof these experiences of the past and offer opportunities
for direct contact with the world's cultures, arts andmusic through use of educational material provided by
the different countries. The children will also be given
opportunities to interact with active diplomats and toparticipate in community-based peace activities thathave been proposed by the UN. By offering these kindsof distinctive and content rich activities, the project will
aim to nurture in each child the potential for becoming
an international person.
In addition, through contact with new and ancient
expressions of wisdom, including biographies of greatmen and women who made enormous contributions
to world peace, children will learn in a hands-on way
about the wonderful achievements of humankind, about
the value of life, and about the importance of love andcompassion. Through such activities, Earth Kids Space
events will encourage children to develop their own
dreams and to cultivate an ability to make those dreams
a reality.

Practical Guidelines (safety management and others) — excerpt
A safety manual has been prepared in line with the local and speciﬁc needs of individual "Places" with reference to the "Safety Management
Manual: Community Classrooms for Children Project by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan;
May 2004 (http://www.ibasyo.com/oﬃce/group/pdf/manual.pdf)."

Make sure that you confirm the safety of entrancesand exits to each facility and that evacuation routes
are clearly understood.
All children and instructors participating in thisproject will be required to enroll in "sports safety
insurance."
Be sure to have a ﬁrst aid kit available at all times. Asa rule, no orally administered medicines should be
used.
With assistance from parents, you should prepare inadvance a health information card for each family(making doubly certain that the information isproperly managed).
The staff should have a definite idea of how long it
takes each child to commute to the events. A map
showing the location of the child's home would be
helpful to have.
The staff should determine beforehand the locationof the nearest clinic where medical care would beavailable during an event. Each group should also
prepare a manual which details responses that will
be taken during emergencies. The manual should be
stored along with the contact-information cards foreach family.
Children should be told that they are not to go outside
the facility while activities are being held.

The staff should be very careful about the people who
visit an event. When someone arrives without priornotification to pick up children, his or her identity
must always be checked.
Commutes: Decisions on whether to allow children tocommute by bicycle should be made after weighing
the circumstances in each community.
Going home: Children should be instructed to go
straight home after an event.
Going home: during the winter, when days are short,or on very windy or rainy days, instructors should
accompany children to a point close to their homes.
If necessary to assure safe commutes, the staff should
consider asking parents for their help.
When children use knives during an activity, the staff
should explain correct methods of use and proper
attitudes, and carefully monitor the event to prevent
injury. The staff should make sure that all knives thatwere distributed are collected. When children use ﬁreduring an activity, the same kind of close attention
should be paid.
I n s u m , s a f e t y w i l l d e p e n d o n a g r o u p's a b i l i t y to t a ke
preventative measures against illness and injury, to protect privacy,
to protect children against suspicious persons, and to know thecorrect evacuation routes and communication channels during
emergencies. Each group should develop its own safety rules withthese critical points in mind.

Coordinator Roles

Security Manager Roles

1. Communicating and coordinating with the Goi
Peace Foundation secretariat
2. Management of Earth Kids Space events in thecommunity
3. Establishing networks in the community throughEarth Kids Space events

1. Planning and developing programs that meet
community needs
2. Preparation and clean up for classroom-based events
3. Providing instruction to children
4. Assuring children's safety
5. When necessary, providing assistance to coordinator

Earth Kids Space

Ministry of Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology

Organization Chart
Goi Peace Foundation's
network, which includes
foreign embassies in Japanand other resources

Goi PeaceFoundation

Operating Committee within
Goi Peace Foundation

Coordinators

Boards of
Education etc.

Coordinators

Use of human resourcebanks and networks
developed by each Earth
Kids Space organization

Use of human resourcebanks and networks
developed by each Earth
Kids Space organization

Guest instructors,
parents and volunteers
from the community

Guest instructors,
parents and volunteers
from the community

Security Managers, Volunteers

Security Managers, Volunteers

Report on Operations for Fiscal 2006

31

be

ea

of to m orro w

T hi

to d ay f or thlt s

ngs that can

ne

du

do

The Program for Children's Activities in Local Communityof The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scienceand Technology (MEXT) of Japan

Commentary
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan
formulated a set of policies, implemented it in the form of an undertaking, and has since beenpromoting it as its Local Education Revitalization Plan. The plan aimed to provide opportunities forvarious practical experiences and exchange activities rooted in local communities. It is underway withthe support of local adults, bringing about an environment in which society as a whole may foster thegrowth of children and consequently leading to the revitalization of local education. “Community
Classrooms for Children Project”, initiated in ﬁscal 2004, is a 3-year undertaking positioned as partof the same Local Education Revitalization Plan, hosting activities nationwide at 5,364 locations inﬁscal 2004, 7,954 locations in ﬁscal 2005, and 8,318 locations in ﬁscal 2006.
The Place for Children Site is open to the public for use as a safe and dependable activity hub
for children, and has offered a variety of activities with the help of local adults acting as safety
management members and instructors.
Over the past three years, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology(MEXT) of Japan has provided assistance to such efforts underway for the promotion of informationexchanges and human networks of individuals as well as for the development of human resources,
who will assume the central role of implementing the “The Program for Children’s Activities in
Local Community”, with the aim of introducing the plan to local communities while promoting
its establishment and continuation as a series of locally initiated tasks. Based on its record of these
efforts, the Ministry will be implementing a new project in ﬁscal 2007 to assist the government's
efforts to reverse the decline in the country’s birth rate, offering programs at 10,000 elementary
schools nationwide under the more comprehensive set of policies for after-school hours (known as"After-school programs for Children") in the form of an integrated or associated part of the Ministryof Health, Labour and Welfare’s Promotion of "Project of After-School Measures for Healthy Growthof Children".

"Earth Kids Space" Oﬃcial Website

http://www.earth-kids.net/

Earth Kids Space Report on Operations for Fiscal 2006
Published: March 25, 2007
Published by:

The Goi Peace Foundation"Earth Kids Space" Management Committee

Heiwa Daiichi Bldg.
1-4-5 Hirakawacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0093, Japan
Tel: (03) 3265-2071 Fax: (03) 3239-0919
E-mail: kids@goipeace.or.jp
http://www.goipeace.or.jp(Projected under consignment by The Ministry of Education,Culture, Sports,
Science and Technology of Japan)

If you would like to reproduce material in this book, please contact the Goi Peace Foundation.

32

Earth Kids SpaceDeclaration for All Life on Earth
PREAMBLE

The earth is an evolving living entity. Every form oflife on earth is an important part of this living entity.
Accordingly, we, as individual human beings, must
cultivate the awareness that we are all members of a
global community of life and that we share a common mission and responsibility for the future of ourplanet.
Every one of us has a role to play in the evolutionof our planet, and to achieve world peace each of us
must live up to our responsibilities and obligations.
Up to the present time, few people on earth havebeen fully satisfied with life. We have faced conﬂicts all over the world in competition for limited
resources and land. This has had a devastating effecton the global environment.
As we enter the new millennium, more than anything else, the realization of world peace depends
on an awakening of consciousness on the part ofeach individual member of the human race. Today,
it is imperative that every human being bears the
responsibility of building peace and harmony in his
or her heart. We all have this common mission that
we must fulﬁll. World peace will be achieved when
every member of humanity becomes aware of thiscommon mission— when we all join together forour common purpose.
Until now, in terms of power, wealth, fame,knowledge, technology and education, humanity
has been divided between individuals, nations andorganizations that have possession and those that donot. There have also been distinctions between thegivers and the receivers, the helpers and the helped.
We hereby declare our commitment to transcend allthese dualities and distinctions with a totally new
concept, which will serve as our foundation as we
set out to build a peaceful world.

GENERAL PRINCIPLESIn the new era, humanity shall advance toward aworld of harmony, that is, a world in which every
individual and every nation can freely express theirindividual qualities, while living in harmony with
one another and with all life on earth. To realize
this vision, we set forth the following guiding principles:
1. Reverence for life
We shall create a world based on love and harmony in which all forms of life are respected.
2. Respect for all diﬀerences
We shall create a world in which all different
races, ethnic groups, religions, cultures, traditions
and customs are respected. The world must be aplace free from discrimination or confrontation,socially, physically and spiritually— a place
where diversity is appreciated and enjoyed.
3. Gratitude for and coexistence with all of nature
We shall create a world in which each person
is aware that we are enabled to live through theblessings of nature, and lives in harmony withnature, showing gratitude for all animal, plantand other forms of life.
4. Harmony between the spiritual and material
We shall create a world based on the harmonious
balance of material and spiritual civilization. We
must break away from our overemphasis on thematerial to allow a healthy spirituality to blossom
among humanity. We must build a world where
not only material abundance but also spiritualriches are valued.

PRACTICE

We shall put these principles into
practice guided by the following:
As individuals
We must move beyond an era in which authority and responsibility rest in nation states, ethnic
groups and religions to one in which the individual is paramount. We envision an “Age of the
Individual”— not in the sense of egoism, but anage in which every individual is ready to accept
responsibility and to carry out his or her mission as
an independent member of the human race.
Each of us shall carry out our greatest mission tobring love, harmony and gratitude into our own
heart, and in so doing, bring harmony to the world
at large.
In our specialized ﬁelds
We shall build a system of cooperation in which
wisdom is gathered together to derive the most fromtechnical knowledge, skills and ability in various
fields, such as education, science, culture and thearts, as well as religion, philosophy, politics andeconomics.
As the young generation
In the 20th century, parents, teachers and society
were the educators of children, and the children
were always in the position of being taught. In the
21st century, adults shall learn from the wonderful
qualities of children, such as their purity, innocence,
radiance, wisdom and intuition, to inspire anduplift one another. The young generation shall playa leading role in the creation of peace for a bright
future.

beto d ay f or thof to m orro w

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The Program for Children's Activities in Local Communityof The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Scienceand Technology (MEXT) of JapanThe Goi Peace Foundation

Heiwa Daiichi Bldg. 1-4-5 Hirakawacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0093, Japan
TEL: 03-3265-2071 FAX: 03-3239-0919 E-mail: kids@goipeace.or.jp http://www.goipeace.or.jp
Earth Kids Space http://www.earth-kids.net/