Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation
International Relations & Cooperation Division
Projects for Fiscal Year 2016

1. International Exchange and Cooperation Projects(1) Financial Aid for International Exchange/Cooperation Projects (Budget: 887,000 yen)
In order to promote international exchange and cooperation at the citizen level, aid is provided togroups based in Hiroshima City that independently plan and carry out related activities inHiroshima City or abroad.
Expected Number of Subsidies: 7(2) Operation of “Kokusai Kouryu Network Hiroshima” (Budget: 1,558,000 yen)
We are looking to create an environment that allows groups registered with the Kokusai Kouryu
Network Hiroshima to easily engage in activities.
To facilitate international exchange activities at the citizen level, we register volunteers forhome-stays and act as a go-between when it comes to requests from nonprofits.
We apply updates as-needed to the International Relations and Cooperation Division homepage
regarding information on Kokusai Kouryu Network Hiroshima members and international
exchange activities in general, allowing for easier exchange of information via the internet.
Details: Information service for groups registered with the Kokusai Kouryu Network Hiroshima;management of the meeting rooms and volunteer activities corner that the Network
member groups use; arranging home-stays upon request from non-profits
Number of groups registered with the Kokusai Kouryu Network Hiroshima: 179 (As of March 1, 2016)
Number of webpage views: 25,215 (From April 2015 to February 2016)(3) Day of International Exchange and Cooperation (Budget: 3,272,000 yen)Groups engaged in international exchange come together to create workshops and displays withthe goal of educating the public and helping raise interest in international exchange activities
among citizens. This daylong event also strengthens ties among groups that are invested ininternational exchange and cooperation.
Date: Sunday, November 20, 2016 (Tentative)
Locations: Hiroshima Kokusai Kaigijo (International Conference Center Hiroshima), the green
space in front of the ICCH, and Peace Memorial Park
Expected Number of Visitors: 9,000 people(4) Operations for “Sister and Friendship City Days” and Hiroshima Messengers(Budget: 4,165,000 yen)
Hiroshima City has established “Sister and Friendship City Days” based on its six Sister andFriendship City relationships with Daegu (Korea), Chongqing (China), Volgograd (Russia), Hanover(Germany), Honolulu (USA), and Montreal (Canada). These daylong commemorative events
encourage the participation of citizens in these relationships, and help to further enhance
citizen-level exchange and international consciousness at the local level. In addition, we recruit
residents to work as “Hiroshima Messengers,” who assist with the planning and development of theSister and Friendship City events. Hiroshima Messengers are also required to facilitate
international understanding by giving guest lectures at local schools.
(a) Sister and Friendship City Day Events (Six Cities)
When: Events celebrating each city are either on, or very near, the day that each respective city

formalized their relationship with Hiroshima City.
Where: Hiroshima-shi Ryugakusei Kaikan (Hiroshima City International House) and others
What: Introduction of each city’s culture, history, music, etc.
Estimated total number of visitors: 10,000 people(b) Recruitment of Hiroshima Messengers
Recruitment Period: October 1 – October 31, 2016
Who: Two persons (12 persons in total)
Term of Duty: January 2017 – December 2017

2. Projects Promoting Internationalization(1) International Exchange Projects by a Coordinator for International Relations(Budget: 19,000 yen)
In order to increase international exchange and understanding at the local level, a Coordinator forInternational Relations (CIR) is sent to schools and municipally-organized events throughout
Hiroshima City. A CIR also holds a monthly Soudan-bi (Consultation Day) in the International
Exchange Lounge at the International Conference Center Hiroshima where citizens can come toask questions and get advice on foreign cultures.
Expected Annual Number of Dispatches: 33
Number of Consultation Days: 12 per year
(2) Publication of an Informational Newsletter (Budget: 97,000 yen)
The monthly newsletter, Hiro Club News, contains English information on Japanese culture anddaily life for foreign residents. This newsletter is printed in limited copies and can also be accessed
via our website.
Details: Hiro Club News (English* version), monthly, 100 print copies, approx. 40 pages each
Hiro Club News: City Office Notices (English* translation of selected articles from themid-month editions of Hiroshima City’s official newsletter, Shimin to Shisei), monthly,
100 copies, 5 pages each
The Hiro Club News and City Office Notices are also available online in Chinese,Portuguese, Spanish, and Korean.
(3) Collaboration with International Exchange and Cooperation Organizations(Budget: 244,000 yen)
In order to encourage solidarity amongst international exchange and cooperation efforts in theHiroshima area, we participate in general meetings and lectures held by local associations forinternational relations and by organizations promoting friendly bilateral relations. We also holdliaison conferences with related organizations such as the Hiroshima International Center (HIC).
(4) Training and Dispatch of Volunteer Interpreters (Budget: 421,000 yen)With an increase in the foreign population comes the need to dispatch interpreters to places suchas schools and ward offices. Volunteer interpreters also assist with various international events.
We offer training to volunteer interpreters in order to help fulfill the requests our division receives.
Number of Volunteer Interpreters: 479 people (as of March 1, 2016)(5) Translation, Interpretation, and Consultation for Non-Japanese Residents(Budget: 5,374,000 yen)We established and continue to maintain a multilingual consultation counter to assist
non-Japanese residents who are not confident in the Japanese language. In addition to translating
information related to everyday life, staffing the consultation window, and offering information tointernational residents, staff are also sent to government agencies to help with interpretation.
Available Languages: Chinese, English, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish(6) Japanese Language Support Program for International Residents(Budget: 1,225,000 yen)
We support international residents including newcomers to be independent and participate insociety. We also provide international residents with Japanese language lessons in order to help
them feel comfortable communicating in Japanese in their daily lives, and to create a friendlier
general environment.
Details: We provide support to local volunteer-led Japanese classes. We also plan to open ourown Japanese class in 2016 for beginners and conduct start-up and advanced seminars
for Japanese volunteer teachers about Japanese language instruction methods
Number of Local Volunteer Classrooms: 20 (as of March 1, 2016)

3. Hiroshima Scholarship Fund Activities(Budget: 11,725,000 yen)

We administer scholarships to privately funded students from foreign countries who are enrolled inundergraduate or graduate courses in universities or colleges within Hiroshima City. Thescholarship fund exists in order to help recipients focus on their studies.
Number of Recipients: 30 students
Scholarship Amount: 30,000 yen per month, for a period of 12 months

4. OtherWe conduct the administrative operations for the International Exchange Lounge located in theInternational Conference Center Hiroshima.
Place: 1st Fl., International Conference Center Hiroshima (Hiroshima Kokusai Kaigijyo)
Hours: 9:00am - 7:00pm
9:00am - 6:00pm(April 1- September 30)(October 1 – March 31)

Closed: December 29 – January 3 of each year
Services: Information Counter, Volunteer Information Corner, Public Library (offers Japanese,non-Japanese books), free internet (accessible via Wi-Fi, public computer), small meeting
space, foreign newspapers & magazines, local event information, international
cooperation information