UNAFEI 162nd CLOSING SPEECHYour Excellencies,
Mr. HOSHI Hirofumi, Deputy Director-General of the Tokyo International Center of JICA
Mr. YAMASHITA Terutoshi, Director of UNAFEI
Mr. MORINAGA Taro, Deputy Director of UNAFEI
Honorable Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Faculty and Staff of UNAFEI
JICA Staff members
Distinguished Guests
Fellow ParticipantsLadies and Gentlemen

It was an amazing journey. For approximately thirty days we live in a period of great
learning. I'm sure we will return home as better professionals, but also as better human beings.
Discussing multi-agency cooperation on community-based treatment of offenders
through various academic activities and practical experiences was certainly the most efficientmethod of learning. We were able to learn through lectures, visits to various public institutions
where we've always been very well received, the wonderful study trip to Hokkaido and alsosocial activities, when we were able to experience and admire Japanese culture.
We are grateful to the Japanese Government, JICA and UNAFEI for such an invaluable
opportunity. We are 21 participants from 11 different countries, including Japan. It was a greathonor to represent our country and we tried our best, leaving a little of us in Japan and in othercountries, through the great exchange of experiences and friendships built.

During the 162nd UNAFEI International Senior Seminar, the activities were planned andexecuted with perfection or very close to it. But not only that, we were able to feel the affection
employed in the planning and realization of this seminar. Without a shadow of a doubt, we felt
very welcome at all times. Thanks to the whole team at UNAFEI we felt at home. Home alwayfrom home.
Again, the feeling now is gratitude.
To Director YAMASHITA and Deputy Director MORINAGA WHO despite their busy
schedules, have been with us whenever possible. In addition from great professionals, we discovered theirskills in table tennis, singing Karaoke and playing the guitar. These men are people with a great levelof ability and intelligence.
Also, a special thanks to our JICA and UNAFEI coordinators who have done an excellent
job, have had patience with our mistakes and even took care of our health, when necessary. To all
professors who have guided us since before our arrival in Japan. The entire staff of UNAFEI
took great care of us, from the administrative staff to the chef and kitchen team as well as thenice ladies that cleaned our rooms. In partucular, I would like to mention Mr. Ozawa, as arepresentative of the whole staff. Thank you very much.
We felt special being received by high authorities of the Japanese justice system, such as
the Minister of Justice, a Justice of the Supreme Court and the Superintending Prosecutor inHokkaido, among others. The social gatherings and receptions with the Vice-Minister of Justice,
the UNAFEI Alumni, the Asia Crime Prevention Foundation members and others were also
special moments.
Many things impressed us in the Japanese criminal justice system, such as its structure,organization and efficiency. Offenders pay for the crimes that they have committed, but are also
treated as human beings who deserve a chance to be reintegrated into the community.

But within that system, surely we can highlight the work of the Volunteers Probation
Officers. We had the opportunity to know them personally, including being received in theirhomes for a gracious lunch. They are people who perform this work because they want a better
society, even having to make personal sacrifices to do so. Because of people like them, we canstill believe in a better world.
We will take with us special memories; the emotion we felt upon our warm welcome at
UNAFEI will be even stronger at the moment of our last goodbyes. These emotions are what ismost beautiful in life.
We hope to receive you so well in our countries in a near future.
Japan, the japanese people and the Unafei will be forever in our hearts.
Thank you very much!
Arigato Gozaimashita!
Thiago Ferreira de Oliveira