I have a dream & Be great - Martin Luther King Jr.

Be a great person!

"Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great because greatness is determined by service. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don't have to know Einstein's theory of relativity to serve. You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics and physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love."

- Martin Luther King Jr.

Field trip in Tokyo

This is a Japanese rice field for local tourism/visitors. Rice is cultivated throughout Japan. Cultivation is highly mechanized, and almost all the planting and harvesting is done by machine. The place we visited is just for tourism or visitors who want to experience in rice planting.

We Can Make A Difference!

Today it was great honored and very exciting for me to give a joint-presentation with two other officers at the United Nations University for students coming from Aoyama Gakuin Women’s Junior College. There were about 70 young pretty Japanese college women students attending our presentation. My presentation was entitled “We Can Make A Difference”. Since the students are attending the course in Environmental Science at their university at this moment, I was asked to give a presentation regarding to how young women can play a very important part in contributing to climate change and global warming.

I took a case study of illegal logging in Cambodia and other developing countries, and defined how the developed countries like US, UK and Japan involved directly and indirectly in such activities. Please look at the “China: illegal imports and exports of wood –based products 2006”.

In addition, there are two major concerns which contribute to global crisis and climate change. They are (1)lack of effective leadership and (2)incomplete education. One example to solving this global crisis which I raised is the global revolution in education. Let’s take Cambodia as an example how many children drop out school at age below 12 and imagine how those illiteracy and poor people will care about and can benefit from climate change awareness and adaptation. So how can we make a difference? When is the right time for us to act and make a better world? I have also shared them a real story of two five-year-old Japanese girls held a sale of their own clothes and toys to raise money to help poor Cambodians. I did hope this story could answer that they and we are not too young to take responsibility for our planet. In many and other ways we can be the part of the solution!

World Youth Assembly, Scotland 2008

18-21 June 2008 - Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre - Glasgow, Scotland
The CIVICUS World Assembly is a forum for international civil society representatives to get together, exchange ideas, experiences and build strategies for a just world.
Be there to share the platform with high-profile speakers and grassroots activists from all over the world. http://www.civicusassembly.org/

The CIVICUS Nelson Mandela Graca Machel Innovation Awards - Call for Proposals

Proposal Deadline: 30 November 2007 http://www.civicusassembly.org/default.asp?page=13&item=48

Unity in Diversity

We live in a world that’s filled with a wondrous diversity of experiences, opinions, characters, cultures, religions, etc. But we are less likely to focus on our inherent similarities of our differences. We now need to find the characteristic which is common to us all. That is, we must learn to find “Unity within Diversity” – feeling united, we feel connected; and feeling connected gives us more trust in others, so our relationship may become true and honest.

Let us look rather at the beauty in diversity, the beauty of harmony, and learn a lesson from every impressive temple and beautiful garden. Angkor Wat, for example, was made of many different stones, yet each depends on the other to such an extent that if one were displaced the whole temple would suffer; if one is faulty the structure is imperfect. Similarly, behold a beautiful garden full of flowers, shrubs, and trees. Each flower has a different charm, a peculiar beauty, its own delicious perfume and beautiful colour. The trees too, how varied are they in size, in growth, in foliage – and what different fruits they bear! Yet all these flowers, shrubs and trees spring from the self-same earth, the same sun shines upon them and the same clouds give them rain.

Therefore, we should not mistrust other people who have different race, colour, outlook, culture or religion from ourselves and withdraw ourselves into the shell of conventionality, but rather be glad and show them kindness, whenever we meet them. Think of them as different coloured roses growing in the beautiful garden of humanity, and rejoice to be among them. Likewise, when we meet those whose opinions differ our own, do not turn away our face from them. All are seek truth, and there are many roads leading thereto. Truth has many aspects, but it remains always and forever one.

One of the first and foremost commons to us is: “we are the one human family”. We are dependent on each other in so many ways that we can no longer live in isolated communities and ignore what is happening outside those communities. We need to help each other when we have difficulties, and we must share the good fortune that we enjoy.

Last but not least, the future well-being of communities worldwide depends upon building a unity that celebrates the interdependence and rich diversity of our differences. We must learn to live and work together for common good – peace and happiness. Thus it is very helpful in developing a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood, a warm feeling to love and compassion for others. This, in return, is essential if we are to survive in this ever shrinking world we live in.

Field trip at Miyake Island(Tokyo)

Miyake is a round volcanic island with an area of 55.5 km2 and a circumference of 38 km, which lies in the Pacific Ocean about 180 km SSW of Tokyo. The island enjoys a warm humid climate brought about by the Japan Current flowing around it.

Our field trip was to explore how the government of Japan and Miyake people developed and recovered the island after the volcanic ash, gas and mud deluge inflicted serious damage on 60% of the woods of island at the eruption of 2000.

We met many people and visited many places including the Government Office, Industrial Corporation and Museum. Therefore, the trip was very enriched with a lot of new ideas and creativities. Moreover, we did have a lot of funs and build a strong bond of frienship among our laboratorymates, professor and the local people.

40th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors ADB

Me, Ms. Vichara, H.E. Keat Chhon, and Dyna

In May 2007 the 40th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was held in Kyoto. The Meeting was attended by some 3,000 people including finance ministers and central bank governors from 67 countries and regions. Discussions at the meeting focused on issues relating to the future of the Asia-Pacific region including the widening gap between rich and poor, environmental problems, and the furthering of regional cooperation. http://www.adbkyoto.jp/en/index.html

Civicus Youth Assembly and World Assembly

(New style workshop from Philippine at Youth Assembly)

Civicus Youth Assembly (22-23 May 2007)

2007 Youth Assembly held by CIVICUS­­(World Alliance for Citizen Participation) has brought 120 of the world's most engaged, dynamic young activists in the field of Social and Civic Justice to Scotland from around 60 different countries worldwide.

The theme of the Assembly was ‘Accountability to Future Generations’, and young delegates had the opportunity to participate in a number of workshops and dialogues sessions around this issue.

During a two-day Youth Assembly, 22 -23 May, the delegates also discussed: “What are the most important issues affecting them where they live and will continue to affect future generations?” Young people did agree to nine points they feel are crucial issues that need to be addressed: intolerance and discrimination; education; ecological crisis; health care and services; HIV/AIDS; lack of economic opportunities for young people; lack of recognition of rights of young people, poverty; lack of access and irresponsible use of technology.

World Assembly (23-27 May 2007)

Youth Assembly delegates also went on to attend, as full delegates, the CIVICUS World Assembly where they could have a voice and opportunity to meet and influence some of the world's leading NGOs and CSOs, groups and individuals who are committed to the creation of a more just and equitable world. With courage and the strong common statements in mind which was discussed above, young delegates reached many medias, workshops and debates – not just to listen but also to engage as speakers and organizers with elder people in most activities during the world assembly.

Charlotte Bertin's Questions


At the opening plenary of the World Assemby, Charlotte Bertin, a 14 years old girl, had brought 10 questions to the assembly in which it included why do governments ignore global warming and why are women and children treated like second class citizens - the discussion was focused as much on challenges as solutions.

1- Why is it that governments can find money for wars but not to save children's lives?

2- Why are so many promises made, like right here in Scotland 2005 by the G8, but are never kept?

3- Why could my friend not trust even his own relatives to look after him?

4- Why do adults in governments and business act like we are not going to be around in the future?


5- Why is it that nothing is being done about the millions of children being sold into slavery each year often by their own poor and desperate families?

6- Why is it ok that wealthy families are depleting the world's scarce resources while in other countries children are being cared for by their brothers or sisters because their parents have died of Aids?

7- Why are government refusing to take the threat of global warming seriously?

8- Why are women and children treated like second class citizens?

9- Why do governments neglect our environment just to make money?

10- Why can't all world leaders be as caring, compassionate and inspiring as my hero Nelson Mandela?


So, did Bertin feel that the questions she brought to the world assembly been answered? "Yes, many of them were," she said. "But hopefully they will be answered more by people doing something rather than just talking."

For further information please visit these web sites: http://www.civicusassembly.org/, and www.civicusyouth.org.


BBC World Debate
Title: Aid – Is it working?

BBC hosted Plenary at the CIVICUS World Assembly was televised as part of the BBC World Debate series. The debate looked at the issue of Aid, focusing on whether Aid is really effective in achieving the purposes for which it was initially intended – to alleviate poverty, accelerate development in the least developed countries and bring a measure of economic justice for the dispossessed communities in various parts of the world. The panellists included people from UN Millennium Campaign, Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Blair Commission, and Oxfam.

Welcome Party at Prof. Yoshida's Lab

Wow...all of my seniors are Japanese here. Though some classes are taught in English at university, Japanese language is considered as an important tool for our daily life as long as we are in Japan.

Sometimes it is difficult to share our view in class, but here, out of the classroom, is a good place for some students to express their own opinion with friends and teacher.

In Japan it is quite common to go out for a party or a small gathering with friends and professor. Thus the relationship is quite open.

However, some professors or laboratories don't have such activities and it doesn't mean it is boring. It might be good in one way or another. Therefore, students enjoy their lives in many ways in Japan.

Khmer Wedding Performance

Cultural Village in Siem Reap, Angkor Wat 06 March 2007


There are a lot of performances and cultural shows in Cultural Village in Seam Reap, Cambodia. You can also join this wedding performance in Cultural Village. It is free of charge ...has...ha... Though it was not real for me, I felt very exciting and had lots of joy to join this program with a really kind and pretty lady. I wish I could remember her name, but it doesn't matter I will go there again...has...has....

The Beginning of University Life in Tokyo

Prof. Yoshida's students-end year party 2006

Welcome party with Janya Sang-Arun's Professor at Kashiwa Campus

Opening Ceremony at The University of Tokyo(Todai), School of Frontier Sciences, 6 April 2007

Winnie(Malaysian), Houy(Malaysian), Mario(Indonesian) and Me: "Sakura at Todai"

First Meeting of 11 Batch AYF Students in Tokyo, Sunday 8th April 2007

"Emblazon these words on your mind: learning is more effective when it is fun.", PETER KLINE, The Everyday Genius*