Press Release on April 16, 2007


The Japanese photo exhibition participates in “Irbid, the Jordanian capital of culture for 2007”

Quick glance at the project

The Embassy of Japan in Jordan, the Japan Foundation, and the Greater Irbid Municipality organized the opening of a photo exhibition under the title of “Scenes of Childhood: Sixty Years of Postwar Japan” under the patronage of H.E. Eng. Ahmad Al-Ghazwi, Mayor of the Greater Irbid Municipality, at the Hashemite Hall of the Municipality, on 16 April 2007. The ceremony was attended by H.E. Mr. Shigenobu Kato, Ambassador of Japan to Jordan, H.E. Mr. Ali Al-Faiz, Governor of Irbid, members of the city council and executives of the Municipality and dignitaries of Irbid Governorate. The event will run through 23 April.

Mr. Shigenobu Kato expressed in his speech his congratulations to the mayor and citizens of Irbid on appointment of Irbid to the Jordanian capital of culture for 2007 and his gratitude to the mayor for giving Japan an opportunity to organize the Japanese exhibition as one of the first events within the Jordanian capital of culture for 2007, which is the first cultural endeavor in its kind ever happened in Jordan.

Around 60 photographs in the exhibition were selected from over 30,000 outstanding works of professional photographers during the sixty years since the end of the Second World War. They are a document of Japanese children for sixty years and also depict scenes in specific times and places throughout Japan. The diverse selection includes photographs taken right after the Second World War definitely gave a surprising impression to the attendants as Japan depicted in some pictures is under the American occupation, in poverty, or clouded with the polluted air.

Ambassador Kato concluded his remarks as saying “I would like to express my deep-rooted wish that an encounter with the real scenes of childhood for sixty years of Japan will further enhance the mutual understanding between Japan and Jordan as well as make each of us a fresh determination that we have to work together to realize a better tomorrow for next generation.”


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