A “Kids Initiative” Peace Program, sponsored by the World Bank, was held on December 20, 2005, allowing children from Hiroshima to share their city’s tragic experience with their counterparts in East Timor and the Philippines. The TDLC facilitated the connection between Hiroshima University, the venue in Japan, and GDLN Centers in East Timor and the Philippines.
“Where can you get the microorganisms to start composting?” “How much time does it take, and isn’t there a risk of diseases?” The International Distance Seminar on Transferring Composting Technology, held on December 14, 2005, connected over 80 participants in Tokyo, Kitakyushu, Jakarta and Bangkok. A lively discussion followed presentations from NGO and community members in Surabaya, Indonesia, where Kitakyushu helped set up a successful composting program. Organized by Kitakyushu and the TDLC, the seminar was designed to introduce composting to participants in Bangkok, which had asked Kitakyushu for assistance in solid waste management.
A new GDLN learning program which aims to share environment and disaster management practices within the private sector has been launched by the TDLC and its partner, Kyoto University Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies (GSGES). Titled “Corporate Community Interface for Environment and Disaster Management: Beyond Corporate Social Responsibility”, a total of six video conference seminars are planned through February 2007.
JICA and the TDLC have been promoting knowledge sharing between Asia and Africa through its delivery of JICA-Net Seminars to Africa. In response to the popularity of the first series, given in October 2005, a second series of 4 lectures will be conducted in December 2005.
A special session of the Kids Initiative, sponsored by the World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific region, was held at the TDLC on October 1, 2005 connecting children from Japan and Sri Lanka.
Due to popular demand, the “Training of Trainers Course on Microfinance (MFTOT)”, first held as a blended distance learning program last spring, will be given again this autumn over 13 weeks by the TDLC, The Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). Based on performance of assignments, e-discussions and final exam, participants who meet standards will be given accreditation to become a certified trainer of the Microfinance Distance Learning Course.
“There’s no question that one of the most valuable tools for development is giving people information about things that work, and don’t work. Hopefully we can do more with this technology than we’ve been able to do in the past,” said World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz after touring the Tokyo Development Learning Center on October 11, 2005. Mr. Wolfowitz is visiting Japan for the first time as president, his first stop on a two week tour of Asia and Europe.
“The Second International Videoconference on Medical and Dental Education between Mongolia and Aichi” was held on September 20, 2005 connecting the TDLC, Aichigakuin University in Nagoya, and the World Bank Office in Mongolia. Co-organized by the Japanese Cleft Palate Foundation (JCPF) and Aichigakuin University, Aichi Medical University, Nagoya City University, Nagoya University and Fujita Health University, about 100 participants shared information on improving the condition of medical care in Mongolia.
How can development assistance be carried out incorporating “human security” perspectives to meet Millenium Development Goals? Questions such as this prompted a lively discussion between Bolivia and Tokyo during the first distance seminar for Japan’s ODA task force, held on August 24, 2005. The JICA office in Bolivia and the TDLC were connected, bringing together speakers in Tokyo with participants in Bolivia including Japanese Embassy and JICA staff members. The seminar was organized by the Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development (FASID), which conducts various training programs for Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Asian Development Youth Forum (ADYF) held its second video conference on July 29, 2005, in collaboration with Vietnamese students in Hanoi, connecting the TDLC in Tokyo with the Vietnam Development Information Center in Hanoi.
Policy makers, community leaders and NGO members will tackle issues such as targeting poverty groups, defining poverty and appropriate use of funds through the newly launched “ASEAN-World Bank TDLC Learning Program on Rural Poverty Reduction and Development”. The series follows up on various joint activities carried out by ASEAN and the World Bank to “mainstream” social development into the national development agenda. Scheduled to run from July 2005 until April 2006, it will cover 3 themes chosen in response to learning needs identified by ASEAN members: (1) Community Driven Development, (2) Understanding Poverty from a Holistic View, and (3) Analysis, Transparency and Accountability/Impact Assessment of Poverty Reduction Programs.
An international video conference on ‘Inclusion of Children and People in Welfare and Education’ was held by Seisa University on July 7, 2005 via the GDLN. Speakers at the TDLC in Tokyo were connected with the Philippines and 6 Seisa study centers across Japan, bringing together approximately 200 participants with backgrounds in education and welfare.
The Asia Distance Learning Project held its 3rd working level meeting on June 22, 2005, linking 6 major cities including Tokyo, Singapore and Jakarta . The Project chose to utilize video conferencing services provided by the TDLC and JICA-Net for the second consecutive year, in response to positive survey results from last year’s meeting. During the one hour session, the video conference was hailed as an effective tool for consensus building, as well as knowledge-sharing within the Asian network.
The Asian Development Youth Forum is an association of students from universities in Japan focusing on development issues in Vietnam.
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation’s Sector Strategy Development Department co-organized a videoconference with World Bank ESSD and the TDLC on learning from the World Bank’s approach to gender integration of investment projects, particularly infrastructure development.
The Africa Day Symposium, organized by the United Nations University and the African Diplomatic Corps and co-sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications, was held at the United Nations University in Tokyo May 18.
The International Recovery Platform (IRP) was launched at the International Seminar on Recovery in Kobe from May 11 to 13.
The Tokyo Development Learning Center and Japan International Cooperation Agency have collaborated on two sessions of the JICA Regional Seminar on Tsunami Early Warning System.
The Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association (JATA) and Results Japan hosted a regional symposium at the Tokyo Development Learning Center to mark World Tuberculosis Day on March 24.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) coordinates a joint technical cooperation project with Romania which aims to share Japanese expertise on seismic risk, improve retrofitting techniques for Romanian buildings, advise on revisions to construction regulations and codes, and ultimately contribute to the safety of Romanian citizens against earthquakes.
The Asian Development Bank, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and the World Bank today released their first joint study on the infrastructure challenges facing developing nations in East Asia at a symposium held today at Keidanren Hall in Tokyo.
The first session of the Training of Trainers on Microfinance course was held February 17.
During a recent visit to Tokyo David Dollar, the World Bank’s Country Directory for China and Mongolia delivered a presentation via the GDLN on the investment climate and competitiveness in 23 Chinese cities.
Coinciding with the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in Kobe from January 18 to 22, the TDLC and Kobe University Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies held a seminar entitled *Rethinking Disaster Reduction - A Development Challenge* on January 21.
In October last year we announced the development of a collaborative program with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) on training for microfinance.
The United Nations World Conference on Disaster Reduction begins tomorrow in Kobe, Japan, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the earthquake that devastated the city ten years ago.
Tokyo Development Learning Center
A Japan/World Bank Distance Learning Partnership Project
The World Bank • Fukoku Semei Bldg. 10F • 2-2-2 Uchisaiwai-cho Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0011
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