Hello everyone,
happy New Year. This is Eto from Public Relations of HARU.
How did you
spend your New Year holidays? For me I went back home, met my old friends, and
spent days with my family. But the best thing I was looking forward every year
is Wiener Philharmonic New Year Concert! I felt ‘the power of music’ again when
I enjoy watching it. People enjoy beautiful harmony and performance, which get
us more energy.
Now let me
introduce “Waon Project” which is working for disaster area in Japan with the
power of music.
Check their
website out: http://www.waon-project.com/
The ‘Waon
Project’ has two main objectives. The first, collecting unused instruments
lying in the cellar at home, and delivering them to the disaster struck regions
of Japan. Second, to hold events and concerts to collect donations, which is
used to support the ‘Zero-One Project’.
I had a chance
to talk with Masayoshi Higashi, a representative of this Waon Project.
Q1. What made you start this project?
A1. I went to the affected area two weeks
after the earthquake. I don’t know why but I just thought I should go see
there. Then I went around Arahama, Ishinomaki and I was really shocked when I
saw the sight with my own eyes. It was totally different from what I knew from
TV. . The sounds, stench, scale, the feeling beneath my feet, they were printed
in my memory, and I felt that I need to engage myself in lending a helping
hand.
After travelling to the affected area, I
held a number of charity events and concerts, but at the same time, I realized
that they had little influence to the disaster. Half an year later in early
October, I went to the sites again and visited the city halls and shelters, to
find out ‘what I could really do’. Since my occupation was a music teacher, I
made use of my network and met colleagues in the region. There, I found out
about the ‘Zero-One Project’, in which the victims themselves ran. Living in
Shizuoka Prefecture, which is rather distant from the Tohoku region, I felt
that participating in this project would be significant and meaningful. Thus, I
decided to support the people who had been organizing musical events, to help
rehabilitate North East Japan with the ‘Waon Project’.
Q2. How is the project working so far?
A2. Since this project started last
November, there are yet to be achievements. However, as for collecting guitars,
we now have over 10 and its number is gradually increasing. As for donations,
we have tens of thousands, and they two are increasing by the day.
We have members operating in Shizuoka,
Nagoya and Kyoto. 2012 is going to be a big year, as the group will begin
fully-fledged activities, and we hope to expand outwards!
Q3. So what are you going to do? What’s
your plan?
A3. There will be events held in various
places to raise donations. At the same time, we will be looking for partner
events to support our project. For further information, please take a look at
our website, as we will be notifying from time to time
Q4. Please give us some words for people in
the affected area.
A4. I hope that fun times as before or even
better times than the past are soon to arrive!
H.Eto
