Remarks in January 2008
Mr. Shigenobu Kato, Ambassador of Japan, delivered a speech at the graduation ceremony of the animation workshopon 27 January 2008
Her Royal Highness Princess Rym Al-Ali, Executive Commissioner of the Royal Film Commission
Mr. Ibrahim Safadi, CEO of SAE Institute Jordan,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Having shared a vision with the Royal Film Commission to promote visual art in Jordan, and in order to make this vision real, it gives me a great pleasure to be here this evening to attend the graduation ceremony of the Animation workshop. This workshop has been arranged last week under the training of the prominent Director Makoto Shinkai from Japan.
It is also a particular honour to have at this ceremony the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Rym Al-Ali, the Executive Commissioner of the Royal Film Commission.
First, I wish to commend Her Royal Highness's Princess Rym Al-Ali's efforts as well as the RFC's management and its staff for their continuous dedication to making the workshop best effective for its participants.
Throughout the years, the RFC have worked hard to accomplish Their Royal Highnesses Prince Ali bin Al Hussein and Princess Rym Al-Ali's vision and to achieve its goals, namely; the production of cinema by Jordanians, the development of the sense of appreciation of cinema as well as promoting Jordan as a field of film making.
In this regard, I am honored to say that the Embassy of Japan and the Japan Foundation were indeed lucky to be granted the occasion of having Director Shinkai himself sharing his expertise with the Jordanian talented artists to achieve by this, one of the RFC's objectives.
Mr. Kawaguchi, who is the business partner of Director Shinkai, has kindly arranged the public screening of the animation films to Jordanian citizens with his copyright giving them the chance to further appreciate cinema and to broaden their understanding about Japan through the films.
Furthermore, and with relation to the goal of promoting Jordan as a field of film making, I am most pleased to tell you that the beauty of this country has captured the eyes of the two guests from Japan and charmed them. I sincerely hope that one day they will decide and make an animation film reflecting Jordan's rich heritage and beautiful scenery.
We were greatly impressed by the talent and the gift of art shown by the participants as well as by their enthusiasm at the workshop. I sincerely hope that they will make use and apply the techniques transferred to them by Director Shinkai.
I believe that their success would encourage other young creators to follow their steps exactly the same way as Director Shinkai's success in making films has stimulated the participants' creativity.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to SAE Institute Jordan for its great support to the workshop. Without its state of art facilities and greatest care, the workshop would not have been realized.
Last but not least, my special thanks are due to Director Shinkai together with Mr. Kawaguchi, who came all the way from Japan to bring closer bridges of culture by sharing his talent and works, which have universal value.
Animation is not a kids' stuff. It is considered as one of the visual arts and is certainly an important way to enable us to widen our scopes in understanding different cultures. I wish you all every success in creating animation in the future.
Thank you
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