Message from Africa
These are the messages from African. We, JMUN TICAD Project Team would like to share Voice of Real African people.
In Japan , we can get limited information on Africa. Most of these are bad news such as conflict or hunger and so on.
We would like to introduce African Real Voice. What they think, How they live, and What hope in African Future.
アフリカからのメッセージ
アフリカに住む人々の声を紹介致します。日本に流れるアフリカに関するニュースの殆どは、紛争であり、貧困であり、暗い内容です。
実際、アフリカの人々が何を考え、普段生きているのか？そしてアフリカの将来に対してどういった想いを持っているのかを紹介致します。
El Hadji Massamba Diouf
My name is AFRICA
Oh, yes? You know who I am?!
Are you sure?
Do you know my history, my culture, my people…
Have you ever heard about my past glorious days,
And those of my people?
About the NOK civilization? The Great Empires of Mali, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Egypt…
Don’t you only know me by name?
A name brought to you by the magical technology of the 20th Century mass media?
A name synonym of war, poverty, starvation, corruption, diseases?
A name that inspires pity and compassion to some of you,
But danger, dirt, repulsion to others?
The later group don’t care.
The former one does care!
If you are among those who care, then you may know me.
Or, you may just have a human heart, and an open mind.
Anyway, let me take the opportunity of TICAD 4,
To express my heartfelt gratitude,
To people who care in Asia,
To people who care in America,
To people who care in Oceania.
A special THANKS to the Japanese civil society,
And also to the Japanese Government for hosting another TICAD.
I’m very sensitive to every piece of
Your material, financial or human resources,
That you have used in the past or may use in the future
For the well-being of my people.
But I strongly doubt, that your kind of assistance and
The way you are providing it to me are the best way
To put me back on my feet and
To give back to my people their pride, and rights as human,
You want to know what I need?
FREEDOM!
JUST FREEDOM!!
Freedom to choose what to study.
Freedom to choose what to produce.
Freedom to choose what to eat.
Freedom to choose what to value.
Freedom to choose my leaders.
Freedom for my people to be who they really are.
Freedom to handle our own destiny.
LISTEN:
My people are not lazy. They are hard-workers.
My people are not stupid. They are very creative.
My people are also ambitious.
If you are not afraid that my people’s freedom
Would affect yours,
Then just help me to be free…
HOW?
Through EDUCATION.
This is enough to boost our many natural and human potentials...
NOW, TO YOU MY PEOPLE:
Sooner or later, the day will come
When you will be treated with respect.
There will be no point abusing of your power,
Loosing your reason,
As most of your leaders are doing today.
There will be no point attempting any revenge on your past Predators or on the today’s authors of your humiliation.
You will not mistreat any human being on earth.
You will treat them all with the same respect,
Without any consideration of color, gender, religion, etc…
Remember the debt you are bearing from those who care today, Those who love you, then you will spread that love Around the Earth.
Then human being will be really human.
El Hadji Massamba Diouf
THE BAOBAB ASSOCIATION
Message to Africa
These are many people who are really interested in Africa in Japan.
They are involved in Africa from Youth Organizations, NGOs, Conpanies,International Organizaion.
We would like to introduce some their messeges below.
アフリカへのメッセージ
アフリカに関して熱い思いを持ち、活動をしているユースや企業やNGOの方、そして国際公務員の方からアフリカに対するメッセージを頂きました。
小澤 健
僕達は普段生きている中で、アフリカについて触れる機会は非常に少ないです。
皆さんはアフリカと聞くとどのような世界を思い浮かべるでしょう？
僕は世界史でアフリカの歴史をかじる機会があったので、ソンガイ、マリ王国のロマンス溢れる黄金の世界を思い浮かびます。
しかし、その一方で、1960年代の独立以降、領土・宗派・部族間における対立が生んだ武力紛争、地域紛争、そして資源の不足、知識・技術の不足による飢餓や感染症の広がりが思い浮かぶのも事実です。
その問題の一つ一つは非常に複雑で、なかなか解決出来ない事例が多い一方、先進国の支援により、解決に向っている問題があるのもまた事実です。
横浜でＴＩＣＡＤが開かれ、洞爺湖でＧ８サミットが開かれ、またミレニアム開発目標の期限が近づきつつある2008年、模擬国連のスタッフがアフリカについての知識を広める活動を行っていることは、非常に意義深いことだと思います。
この一連のイベントをキッカケにより多くの人がアフリカの現状について、知り、考える機会が得られることを願っております。
模擬国連委員会 2008年委員長
小澤 健
Yoichi SUZUKI
1992, one girl spoke out in Rio Summit.
she was Severn Suzuki, who was only 12 years old.
her speech moved on many people.
she insisted on the importance of global sustainability and responsibility to the future.
i feel ashamed.
why didn't I see the real world？
in Africa,
there are many people died in conflicts.
there are many people suffered from hunger.
there are many people suffered from fear.
It is easy to call it "tragedy" .
but we must not forget that we ignored the reality.
and this is not ended.
northern prosperity maintained, based on
sacrifice of exploitation.
we need to see the reality.
we need to know the reality, context and structures.
we need to break the passive world and given histories.
African people are same human being.
they have family.
they fall in love.
they sing in heart.
we are same human beings.
and we have same rights to live.
Every human has rights!
we can change our lives.
we can make world better.
i believe in!
how about you?
a executive board member of Youth Development & Peace Network Japan
JMUNS TICAD Project Leader
Yoichi SUZUKI
小栗 充博
僕が始めてアフリカの地に足を踏み入れたのは、19歳のときでした。
何も知らずに一人で飛び込んだケニア。都会から遠く離れた田舎の村で過ごした8ヶ月は決して忘れることのない素敵な思い出です。
食事を共にし、酒を酌み交わし、音楽に合わせ共に踊る。多くの時間を一緒に過ごした友人や、頼りない僕の面倒を見てくれた近所の方々の優しさに触れて、とても嬉しくて暖かい気持ちでいっぱいになりました。
「アフリカだから・・・」とか、「ケニア人は・・・」とか、そんなの正直どうでもいいです。
ただ僕は、今でも時折その頃の映像と思い浮かぶ一人一人名前のある彼・彼女たち子供たち、みんなが好きなんです。また会いたい、できれば元気なままでいてほしい、また一緒に踊ってバカ騒ぎして楽しい時間を共にできたらいいなって思っています。
敢えて言うなら、それが僕とアフリカのつながりを作っている何かです。それが元となって、いくばくかの僕の行動を今でも方向付けてくれているんでしょう。
アデオジャパン
小栗充博
渡邊睦
21歳の時にアフリカに行ったときに、この世界に「私」は産まれたようだった。この、アフリカでもらった自分自身の生き方の種をしっかり育てていかなければならない、と強く思う。いつまでも私の生きる養分たるアフリカ。いつも私の維管束を満たしてくれるアフリカには、いつか大きな花として向き合いたい。