下記３／１９付けで大学（芸術学部）の同僚たちへ、義援金支援のアートオークションへの参加を依頼する連絡を送付したときのもの。直後多くの反応があり、現在その準備に入っている。
３月１９日下記メッセージを送付した時点で、18,000人と報道のあった、当時の被災データ（亡くなられた方並びに行方不明の方々）は、3/22（火：西海岸時間）の今日、24,000人と報道されている。私の故郷奄美も昨年10月洪水災害に見舞われ、多くの被災者が出た。その時日本各地から多くの方々のご厚意があり、５ヶ月たった今、どうにか復興のきざしがみえはじめた矢先きの東北（関東）地区におけるこの甚大な災害。
災害のレベルは犠牲者の数ではない。確かにそうだ。昨年奄美での洪水被害では数人の犠牲者に過ぎない。それでも失ったものの大きさと残されたものの悲しみが決して少ないとは言えない。（その内のお一人は私の高校３年のクラスメートのお母さん。認知の母を奄美の施設に預けている私にとっては他人事ではなかった。TVに移る水没していく名瀬を見ながら眠れない夜を過ごしていた。それもたった５ヶ月前の話し。）
それでもそれでも、、、、今回はあまりにもあまりにも大きすぎて、、、残された方々のお気持ちを思うとどんな言葉も慰めにはならないのではないかと思う。反面、やはり何かやらずにはおかれない。それほど衝撃は大きかった。それもあの日本で（地震や津波の対策は万全と思われている日本で）起きたのだ。世界中を駆け抜けたこの映像とニュースは世界中を動かしていると思う。
何もできない米国在住の私達ですが、これからの皆様方の復興にむけて、私達ができること、できる方法で、ささやかですが始めさせていただきたいと思います。（*上左記写真はそのオークションを含めた全体プロジェクト「Far East Fusion」のポスター。クリックすると拡大いたします。）
徳 雅美
技術教育学教授
芸術学部
カリフォルニア州立大学チコ校
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
Dear colleagues at Dept. of Art:
As you already might know, Japan (Tohoku region – North part) suffered a big earthquake (M9) and tsunami on March 11. More than 18,000 people passed away and are missing so far. Thank you so much for your many messages. All my family and relatives are living in the central and southern part of Japan and they are okay. But I have many friends around the area and am still waiting for contact from them since it happened.
The entire country of Japan is devastated due to the tragedy and they are still suffering under the cold & snowy weather. US TV, CNN, is dramatically announcing the tragedy and how Japanese people are quiet and patient regardless of such a huge disaster. Although they don't speak out or shout, they deeply suffer ...
Some of you might remember my friend, Prof. Koichi Watanabe who came to participate in the first cultural event of the Way of Asia in 2008 to organize his art show and give his talk. He is from the area, Fukushima, of the nuclear plant crisis. Since the earthquake, he has been having a tough time contacting survivors, and he will be finally able to evacuate from the Fukushima area after the final meeting on Saturday, 4/19. He is one examples of what my Japanese colleagues are doing in response to the disaster.
I would like to do something for them and to do so, I need your HELP.
This is an E-mail to ask your (and your students’) help to participate in my cultural events to raise funds for the suffers of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami (and the fear of nuclear plan crisis >_<,,,).
1. Art Students’ Club fund-raising art sale & workshops (10 AM – 3 PM, Sat., April 9 at Selvesters’ Café):I am planning to organize the 3rd annual cultural event of Far East Fusion at Creekside Plaza and Selvester’s Café on Saturday, 4/9 (*Please see the attachment). I decided to make this event a fund-raising event for the Japan disaster. However, the event does not produce much money in general. So, I’d like to also have fund-raising workshops (10 – 3 PM) at Selvester’s Café that will be organized by Art Department students (or student clubs such as ArtEd DaDa). If you could encourage your students (especially your area’s student clubs) by selling any of their artworks for the fund-raising, I would really appreciate it. NO need to make anything new. Just bring the left-over artworks from the past classes or so. If you could let me know the possibility, I would really appreciate it.
2. Art Department Faculty Fund-raising Auction (3 PM – 6 or 4-7 PM, April 9 at Selvesters’ Café):In addition, I am also planning to organize a fund-raising art-auction with your help at Selvester’s Café (3-6 PM or 4-7 PM on Saturday, 4/9). If you could donate any art items (small is great), I would really appreciate it. Again, no need to create any for this event, but look around your office and/or studio to find something for this event. If you could donate your artwork for this fund-raising auction, I would truly appreciate it. Also please let me know the possibility via this mail, hopefully sometime soon (^_^)! (I don’t have my own artworks much anymore, so I am planning to donate a traditional Japanese wedding kimono and/or a manga art created by a female’s comic artist for the auction.)
Jason, University Art Gallery, and his wife, Jenni, are now kindly helping me to organize this idea in a little more detail. I (or maybe Jason) will let you know about it sometime early next week too.
I know that this is a very short notice, but your HELP is essential. I truly appreciate your HELP!
Lastly, the President Office contacted me last Thursday, 3/17 to support all my fund-raising events as co-sponsor and/or collaborator.
Cheers,
Masami
J-faculty
前にも別のブログ（TokuToku Journey）で話したかと思うが、昨今うちの大学に中東からの留学生がやたら多くなっている。私の教える一般教養クラスArt100: Art Appreciation - Multicultural Perspectives にもその影響を見る事ができる。定数１２０名の内、約３０人がそう。２５％にもなる。これは喜ぶべきかなにか異常事態なのか、、、それはともかく、これを良い方に使わない手はない。このコールは多種多様なアートを理解することによって、自分をそして他者を理解するのが最終ゴール（一応私の意図するところは）。これらの留学生にイスラムアートを語ってもらおう。というわけで、今回二人の学生（アラブ首長国連合Abdalla Alsharji عبدالله الشارجي とサウジアラビア：Majed Alayuni ماجد العيوني）に特別講演をしてもらうことに。
