On October 27, the Ukrainian-Japanese Center began its work at Oles Honchar Dnipro National University. A new space for intercultural dialogue at DNU was opened with the support of the Japanese Charitable Foundation “Smile” and the Volunteer Council of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration.
The center is located on the basis of the Faculty of Ukrainian and Foreign Philology and Art Studies. Its opening was a continuation of the memorandum of cooperation between DNU and the head of the Japanese Charitable Foundation “Smile” Mr. Hideto Chujo, declared in the memorandum. The official agreement, in particular, provided for the intensification of Ukrainian-Japanese partnership and cooperation in cultural and academic areas. The implementation of these intentions found expression in the organization of our Center - a place where culture, education and human understanding will intertwine like a branch of sakura and viburnum. After all, in the newly created space, they plan to develop not only cultural interaction, but also to implement joint humanitarian initiatives to support veterans, military families, and displaced people through psychological recovery, education, and art projects.
It is symbolic that the presentation of the Ukrainian-Japanese Center of DNU took place on a national holiday - the Day of Ukrainian Writing and Language. At the opening, the national anthems of Ukraine and Japan were performed by Japanese artists: an active figure in support of Ukraine, singer Ono Aki; ambassadors of support for Ukraine in Hyogo Prefecture, singer and pianist Jesse, and the exclusive director of the Art Forest Association, violinist Karen.
After that, the co-organizer of the Center, Mr. Hideto Chujo, together with the rector, Sergiy Okovytyy, solemnly cut the symbolic ribbon.
The Japanese guest Hideto “Pika” Chujo is a well-known philanthropist in Dnipro, who is currently helping internally displaced people settle in our city and region. A successful businessman in Japan, he left all his affairs and in April 2022 came to Ukraine as a volunteer in the Dnipro shelter for displaced people. Since then, together with local partners, he has been actively helping people affected by the war. In July 2022, with the support of friends from Japan, Mr. Hideto founded the Charity Fund “Smile”, which provides support to Ukrainian children traumatized by the war.
For active assistance to Ukrainians (rescuing children from combat zones, psychological support and entertaining children in the guise of Pikachu), a friend of Ukraine from the Land of the Rising Sun was officially recognized by the regional authorities. Namely: during the opening ceremony of our Ukrainian-Japanese Center, Mr. Hideto Chujo was officially awarded a certificate of his appointment as a Representative of the Volunteer Council under the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration in Japan. The document was solemnly presented by the Advisor to the Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine on Volunteer Activities Ilya Odintsov.
The great physical, financial and moral support provided by the Japanese friend of Ukraine during this difficult time was warmly noted in her speech by the Dean of the Faculty of Ukrainian and Foreign Philology and Art Studies Iryna Popova. She thanked Mr. Hideto Chujo for sharing all the military challenges with us and investing maximum resources in the development of interethnic relations. An example of this was the financing of the arrangement of the Ukrainian-Japanese Center on the basis of one of the faculty's classrooms. By the way, students of the Department of Fine Arts and Design actively participated in the development of its interior.
The opening of the Center was also remotely congratulated by our Japanese partners - the following people conveyed their support via video message: Mr. Mori Eisuke, Head of the Parliamentary Group “Japan-Ukraine” and representatives of various Japanese public organizations - Tamaka Takeaki, Ukiyo Mariko, Ono Motohiro, Ono Kazuma, Kitamura Maria. The founder of the Dnipro Japanese language school Shuriken Language School - a graduate of DNU Iryna Krutenko - translated for Ukrainians.
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