Volunteer Interpreters Assist Lithuanian Ambassador’s Visit

Date/Time: April 21, 2015 11:20a.m. to 12:00noon

Place: Mayor’s Guest Room, Abiko City Hall

Visitors: Mr. Egidijus Meilunas, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Republic of Lithuania, Mr. Murofushi, Director, and Mr. E. Okayasu, Manager of Japanese Society for Preservation of Birds (JSPB) Delegates from Abiko City: Mr. J. Hoshino, Mayor, Mr. A. Aoki, Vice Mayor, Mr. Y. Ebihara, General Manager, Environmental and Economics Division Volunteer interpreters: Mr. Y. Hesaki, Mr. M. Sato

　Abiko City has been requesting Republic of Lithuania to join in the Japan Bird Festival (JBF) in autumn 2015 as one of overseas participants. In reply to the request, Ambassador Meilunas paid a courtesy visit on April 21 to the Abiko mayor. AIRA sent two interpreters to assist their communication.

　Republic of Lithuania is situated in the northeast of Europe with the territory of roughly 80% of Hokkaido. The country, with nature-loving people, has more than 3,000 marshes and lakes surrounded by ample rich forests with lots of water birds. People celebrate every March 21 as the day of the national bird, white storks, abundant in the country. There is similarity with us as we have Abiko City Museum of Birds and the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology both facing Lake Tega.

　Replying to the request from Mayor Hoshino for joining to the coming JBF, the ambassador comfortably expressed his will to join the event by setting a booth and sending their staff, sympathizing the likeness in the environment harmonized by nature and people.

　Mr. Murofushi of JSPB, one of JBF executive committee members, briefed that a joint research team was organized between Lithuania Education University and JSPB in the study of the migrant bird, little tern, being designated as an endangered species. Mr. Hoshino said that students of primary and junior high schools in the city are studying about the birds and nature by hand-making decoy of little tern.

　The two interpreters took active roles for the mutual understandings through timely interpretation backed by pre-studies on Lithuania as a whole and things about Abiko city.

　The ambassador particularly expressed his words of praise to the late Japanese Vice Consul at Kaunas, the second largest city, Mr. Chiune Sugihara (Jan. 1, 1900 - Jul. 31,1986). This year falls the 75th anniversary of “The Visas for Life”. Mr. Sugihara issued more than 2,000 Japan transit visas to the refugees saving over 6,000 lives which led to consequently save 60,000 lives including their descendants.

　Now in Lithuania, Mr. Sugihara is honored in such ways as Sugihara Memorial Hall, the Sugihara Street, and so on. In relation to him cherry trees were donated from Japan, the ambassador added. Finally he stressed to welcome Abiko citizens to visit Lithuania.

　After the meeting, the ambassador and his members visited Abiko City Museum of Birds and Yamashina Institute for Ornithology. At this occasion as well, the volunteer interpreters properly translated birds names, obviously thanks to the experience secured at the visit of members of the International Ornithology Congress (IOC) in August, 2014. The ambassador expressed his appreciation to them.

　The Lithuanian ambassador left Abiko in the evening after deepening understanding toward the nature of Abiko cherished by local people.　　　 (No. 15-1)