The Ceremony Commemorating the Centenary of the Arrival of the Siberian Children to Japan and Relief Unveiling Ceremony
On May 31, 2024 (Fri.), 11:00 – 13:00, the Fukudenkai Social Welfare Corporation held a Ceremony to Commemorate the Centenary of the Arrival of Siberian Children to Japan, along with the Unveiling of a Commemorative Relief.
A total of 38 descendants of Siberian Children (from 16 families) from Australia, Canada, England, the United States, and Poland attended the ceremony, as well as 20 other distinguished guests from Poland.
Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado also honored us with her presence, and a total of 250 guests from Poland and Japan attended.
Her Imperial Highness Princess
Hisako Takamado
His Excellency Paweł Milewski, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to Japan
H.E. Dr. Mohamed Said Khalifa Al Busaidi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Sultanate of Oman together with Mrs Aisha Al Barumi
H.E. Mr. Korkut Güngen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkey
Ms.Urszula Osmycka, Director of Polish Institute in Tokyo
Mr Hirobumi Niki, Executive Secretary of the Japan-Poland Friendship Parliamentary League,
House of Representatives
Mr Taisuke Ono, member of the House of Representatives
Mr. Atsushi Seike, President, Japanese Red Cross Society
Mr. Koji Yonezawa, Mayor of Tsuruga City
Mr. Takashi Maruyama, Chairperson of the Shibuya Ward Council
Mr. Manabu Haruta, Vice-Chairman of the Shibuya Ward Council
Members of the Shibuya Ward Coucil – Mr. Takeshi Ito, Ms. Michiru Oka, Ms.Mari Okada, Ms. Miho Okada, Ms. Hiromi Oda, Mr. Takumi Tanaka, Mr. Takeshi Nakamura, Ms. Ai Hoshino, Ms. Sayaka Yagasaki, Mr. Yoshito Yakumaru
Ms. Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka, Special Representative of the President of Poland for the Three Seas Initiative
Ms Jadwiga Rodowicz-Czechowska, former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to Japan
Professor Wiesław Theiss, leading researcher on Siberian Children
Ms. Katarzyna Nowak, Director, Manga Museum of Japanese Art and Technology
Mr. Wojciech Śleszyński,
Director, Sybir Memorial Museum
Mr Witold Kwiatkowski,
County Mayor of Celestynów District
Ms. Elżbieta Osuch, Director, Polish Siberian Children Memorial Elementary School
Mr Krzysztof Radkowski, Director, Special School and Educational Center named after col. Jerzy Strzałkowski in Leszno
11:01 Minute of silence (in memory of the late Teruo Matsumoto, a historian who researched the history of the Siberian Children)
11:02 National anthems of Poland and Japan (played on the piano and the shakuhachi flute)
11:07 Welcome speech by the host of the ceremony, President of Fukudenkai- Takaaki Ota
11:17 Speech by Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado
11:20 Reading a letter from the Presidential Couple of the Republic of Poland
（The letter was read by Beata Daszyńska-Muzyczka, Ambassador and Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Poland for the Three Seas Initiative）
11:23 Speech of the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Japan, Paweł Milewski
11:26 Speech by the President of the Japanese Red Cross, Atsushi Seike
11:29 Speech by the representative of the Descendants of Siberian Children, Anna Domaradzka
11:32 Presentation of official appreciation from the Representative of the Fukudenkai Honorary Committee, Akie Abe
She pass their official gratitude and sincere appreciation to the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Japan from 2008 to 2012, Jadwiga Rodowicz-Czechowska, who rediscovered Fukudenkai; to Professor Wiesław Theiss for his many years of research on the history of the Siberian Children; to the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Japan, Paweł Milewski, for his support and remembrance.
11:55 Cutting of the ribbon
12:02 Unveiling of the commemorative relief
A commemorative relief measuring 3 x 5 meters presenting a group of Siberian Children was installed on the wall of the Fukudenkai Orphanage.
12:05 Photos in front of the commemorative relief
12:13 Toast by the Executive Secretary of the Polish-Japanese Parliamentary Group of the House of Representatives, Hirobumi Niki
After the celebrations, Aleksandra Lenart, carrying the history of Siberian Children into the future, presented gratitude and a gift on behalf of all Descendants to Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado and the President of JRC Atsushi Seike.
At the very end of Ceremonies, a group photo of all the present Descendants of Siberian Children was taken in front of the commemorative relief and on the stairs in Fukudenkai.
