Exchanges of People and Ideas

Third Responders' Initiative is building on a long Japanese heritage of utilizing cultural and educational exchanges as a means of social and economic development. The exchanges that led to the period of Meiji and post-World War II economic expansion are the most widely known of them. However, the written history of Japan actually began in the records of visits by Chinese scholars in the 4^th century. Ever since then, exchanges of people and ideas have played a pivotal role in the growth of the national identity and culture.

Within that context, we are promoting multi-lateral exchanges of people combined with online contacts between the Tohoku region and other communities. Our goal is to create new partnerships that will lead to innovative approaches to dealing with reconstruction, particularly in areas related to environmental, economic and social issues. The results of these endeavors will be manifested in educational and social collaborations that address specific locally defined issues and areas of concern.

There are three phases in this process:

Phase I the program will begin with a public education process in Japan that will include outreach to communities in the affected region followed by a conference and public education events in Tokyo.

Phase II will select participants from the affected communities to undertake a public education and planning mission to visit possible partner communities in other countries to define areas of need and mutual collaboration.

Phase III will be established to exchange arrangements between Japan and selected partner countries in which grassroots partnerships will be established with the goal of insuring that they are continuing and self sustaining in a fashion similar to those created during the Master Teacher Program.