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September 2014
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The First Lady donated “The Akie Collection,” a compilation of books for Japanese language learning on the environment, Japanese culture and the Japanese automobile industry, written in Japanese and English. Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal, Professor Clement Sankat remarked that this was an historic first visit of a Japanese Head of State to the Caribbean, and hoped it was the beginning of collaborations between The UWI and Japanese higher education institutions. He announced that in September, a Japanese research team in Agricultural Technology from Yamaguchi University will visit the Campus. He made reference to the longstanding friendship of Japan and the Caribbean during this ‘Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year 2014,’ adding that two decades would have passed by since the first Japan-CARICOM Consultation was held in 1993. The year of 2014 has been designated as the Japan-CARICOM Friendship Year to enhance the Japan-CARICOM relationship in diverse fields such as culture, trade and tourism. Throughout the year, commemorative events will be held in Japan and CARICOM member countries. During her visit, Mrs. Abe was given the opportunity to interact with students participating in the UWI Japanese language course and was treated to a musical presentation by the UWI Steel Ensemble of the Department of Creative and Festival Arts. She also viewed a display from The UWI’s Cocoa Research Centre, which houses the International Cocoa Gene bank and produces its very own special chocolate from this unique collection of cocoa. Mrs. Abe’s father was the CEO of one of Japan’s leading confectionary companies which sells, amongst other items, chocolates. |
First Lady of Japan, Mrs Akie Abe, paid a courtesy call to The UWI St Augustine campus on July 28. She was accompanied by Mrs. Chizuru Tezuka, wife of the Japanese Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago and Mrs. Shirley Dookeran, wife of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.