From 8-10 July, a delegation from Fukuoka City headed by Deputy Mayor Masanao Nakazono, visited Sydney and Canberra to present his city’s annual Fukuoka Prize. CLAIR Sydney accompanied the delegation to Canberra to assist in celebrations there.
This year’s academic prize recipient, Professor Tessa Morris-Suzuki of the Australian National University, is the first Australian to receive this award.
As Japan’s cultural gateway, Fukuoka City has since antiquity played a significant role in promoting exchanges with other regions of Asia. This history, and a determination to promote and understand the distinctive cultures of Asia, and to further peace, inspired the inauguration of the Fukuoka Prize (formerly known as the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize) in 1990 through collaboration between academia, businesses, and the city authorities. Since then, there have been many prize recipients from almost every region of Asia.
At the award press conference at the ANU’s University House Great Hall, The Professor spoke in particular about the Japanese concept of minsai, of which a similar meaning in English could be interpopular, in contrast to kokusai –international. The grassroots minsai links which bring people together are essential to common understanding across national boundaries, cultures and societies. Deputy Mayor Nakazono presented the award certificate to Professor Morris-Suzuki, and spoke of the significance of the award to Fukuoka City. Japan’s Ambassador to Australia, Mr. Akimoto, also congratulated the Professor, and joined in the networking with academics and staff of the ANU after the ceremony, making for a most spectacular afternoon.
Before heading to Canberra, our Director Yasuhiko Tanabe briefed the delegation on Australia and its government composition at CLAIR’s Sydney office. One of our Research and Liaison Officers, Petar Rajic, also briefed the delegation, focusing on the Australian tertiary education sector and the structure of the ANU. As an ANU alumnus, Petar gave an outline of his alma mater and its strengths in Japanese academic work.
