February 7, 2002

Dear Colleagues and Friends:

As president, I joyfully announce that The X. International Philosophy Olympiad will be held at The United Nations University in Tokyo, 13-15 May 2002.  In what follows I present before you the official brochure as its guidepost: http://global-dialogue.com/ipo/

Before entering into the text of the brochure, however, it may be in order for me to say a few words concerning this year’s specific concern and emphasis: our event is specifically intended in 2002 to be a philosophical forum as well as an essay competition.  It is a  Philosophy Olympiad/Forum, as it were.  As such, it is a philosophical festival of transmitting the Love of Wisdom from generation to generation. 

This expresses our innermost aspiration that we may help cherish critical thinking in the minds of young people and develop philosophical education on a global scale—and this especially in face of the September 11, 2001 attack on humanity and subsequent global incidents. 

At this juncture of “universal” (and partly but importantly “human”) history on Earth, it is hoped that we celebrate life together despite everything.  Let us attend to the voice resonating at the end of “The Way Forward” of The Earth Charter:  “Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life” (see “Ms. Hironaka’s Web Site: Earth Charter”).

The IPO is an assemblage of incoming youthful adventures; and the IPO lectureships are a show of accomplishments delivered in the form of forum by outgoing officers on Earth.  Thus, the flow of civilization goes on in terms of “mutual immanence” of the generations old and young, the former being causally efficacious and the latter in the mode of anticipation, as Alfred North Whitehead has imagined.  Or, on a larger scale, the Earth and human civilization are constituting a larger nexus together.  There has to be an occasion—let’s say, nexus—of festivity: namely, students’ Olympiad “and” 
distinguished thinkers’ masterly show of accomplishments.  And this symbolizes the entire universe in its dynamic advance toward an ever new future. 

I sincerely hope that you will enjoy reading the brochure.  Colleagues, I look forward to seeing you face to face in Tokyo in May.  Friends in the global human community, your concern for and support of The X. International Philosophy Olympiad in Tokyo will be heartily appreciated. 

With best wishes,
Truly yours,
 

Tokiyuki Nobuhara, Ph.D. & D.Min.
President, The X. International Philosophy Olympiad

Chair, Faculty of International Cultural Studies
Keiwa College
East-West Process Studies Project: Keiwa-Claremont
Shibata, Niigata 957-8585
Japan
Tel: (81)254-26-3636
Fax: (81)254-3646
E-mail: tnbhara@cocoa.ocn.ne.jp
URL: http://www.keiwa-c.ac.jp

Linked to: 

The United Nations University: http://www.unu.edu (News & Events)
Global Dialogue Institute: http://global-dialogue.com/ipo/

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