Plenary Session Keynote Speeches from the 11th IAVE A-P Regional Volunteer Conference on Dec 8, 2007

Mr. Antonio P. Meloto, Executive Director, Gawad Kalinga
(Mr. Meloto first showed a film on the Gawad Kalinga initiative which began in the Philippines 12 years ago, and became a global movement.)

70% of Filipinos are landless, 40% are squatters in the cities, and 16% claim to be hungry. I decided to stop complaining about poverty - attacking the government and the rich, and blaming the government for being corrupt, the rich for being selfish and the poor for being lazy. But what can we all do? Representing the vast majority of people who could make a change, to bring real hope back to people there must be a basis - ie when squatters become landowners, etc. When I was 47 years old I started to hope, starting with my family. My son decided to volunteer for the typhoon victims in the north of the Philippines, my daughter builds links between Muslims and Christians in Mindanao. Hope can transform slums into beautiful communities. Now we’re working with 1,500 communities, bringing NGOs from different sectors together. In 2003 a fire hit Baseco in Manila - a dangerous slum which had 28 murders the year before. We helped rebuild thousands of houses, brought in international development agencies, and helped cut crime.

Now we’re working in 300 town around the country. The national government is starting to include a budget for infrastructure to those areas.

Poverty in the Philippines is so massive there must be a big response, and spread to the poor by showing them there is a way out.

Big businesses are coming in like Unilever, Nestle and Toyota, because poverty reduction is good business.

Just build and they will come.

With the spirit of volunteerism, started by Christians and now working with other faiths, started in the Philippines, and now working in Papua New Guinea, Pacific Islands and Africa. They are also talking about starting this initiative in South America and other regions of the world.

Affluent countries like Japan are doing a lot by contributing to development in the region.

The biggest problem in the Philippines, and the world, is because we are a divided people. We have to think of ourselves as one global family. In helping the poor and weak, our hearts are one. Filipinos all over the world should learn to love their country and honor their heritage and birthright. My dream is also the dream of people all over the world.

What started as a Philippine initiative has grown into a global movement. Many other countries are following to defeat poverty. We should not promote a movement that calls on people to hate each other - the rich and poor are both victims if they don’t work together. We have to call on the heroes in all of us. Don’t forget the poor in your own countries. Don’t forget the poor countries in your region.

We can build a better planet if we start to work together, and restore the dignity of poor people around the world. Let’s continue this

Mr. Ken Joseph
I don’t like the word ‘volunteer’. After the Kobe earthquake I had a chance to meet Mr. Koizumi, who didn’t understand the word ‘volunteer’ because the community already helped each other. Why is helping other people so special? So I prefer to use the word ‘service’ - but there is good and bad service. However sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between good and bad service.

In Japan people have always helped each other. The government is supporting volunteerism, which I’m also skeptical about, because the government shouldn’t be funding things that people should be doing anyway.

Before you give service you have to have self confidence. Japan is located at the end of the Silk Road, and we have given much to the outside world. we have to look at ourselves first. Japan has seven things it should be proud of:

1. Japan is safe - eg, I left my cell phone in the taxi and got it back in 10 minutes. You don’t have to worry about being robbed in Japan.
2. Japan functions well - a bullet train at 7.56 from Tokyo left at exactly 7.56. What is scheduled works. Infrastructure works well.
3. The family structure is very special in Japan - overseas, divorce is a common problem.
4. Japan is a free country - we enjoy freedom of speech
5. Japan is a peaceful nation - the Japanese constitution renounces war
6. Japan is hospitable
7. The Japanese people - you are a great people.

The founding president of Hokkaido University Dr. William Clark said "Boys, be ambitions!" on his way back to his own country. Because he was loved by many students at his college the phrase became famous in Japan. But what he in fact told the students was: “Boys, be ambitious, not for yourself, not for money, not for fame - you have to do it for the sake of God and the sake of Japan.”

Why do you work and study so hard? Why are you so passionately involved in service? If you have 5 minutes today, before you help someone, ask yourself why you do it? We have to ask ourselves what we live for.

Mr. Toshio Nakamura, President, Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Volunteer Activity and Citizen Participation in Expo 2005 Aichi, Japan

More than 30,000 people registered as volunteers and participated in this activity. A tremendous number of people contributed to the success of the Expo. As well as enthusiasm, they learned about the operation of the Expo and acquired a lot of knowledge. The meaning of ‘nature’s wisdom’ is to learn from natural providence modestly building sustainable society. There are four pillars to this.

1. application of cutting edge technologies and technological breakthroughs
2. adoption of new social systems
3. sharing of diverse cultures and values
4. NGO and citizen participation

The Expo was a good chance to use new technology, adopt new ways of working together, learn about our past culture and history and tackle global challenges, and keep a balance between the individual and society we invited NGOs and citizen to take part in the Expo.

In application of cutting edge technologies, we used a new energy supply system. The world’s largest scale 2,200kW plant supplies 100% of energy used in Japan Pavilion Naakute. The new energy plant used bio-fuel.

The Expo restaurants used biodegradable plastic in eating utensils.

The bio-lung was the world’s largest greening wall or hedge, which eases the urban heat island effect and counteracts global warming. It was 150m long and 12m high. The total area is 3,500square meters.

Environmental conscious construction and universal design - constructing the EXPO sites in harmony with nature. Building went ahead in consideration of the local wildlife.

There were 9 to 17 types of garbage segregation. The amount of garbage was tremendously reduced.

EXPO eco-money combines benefit to the individual and society - this scheme is still running at the eco-money center in Nagoya. As of November 0.44m people are still taking part.

Eco tours were organized to backyards to see environmental technology in action, and a tour for middle school children. there was also an eco tour map.

Nature experience programs were also offered at the Nagakute and Seto areas.

Sharing diverse cultures
Exhibits and events featured a wide variety of histories, cultures and ethnicities including the award winning US and Andean Amazonian, Canada and Spain Pavilions. There was exchange between the pavilions and visitors.

NGO and Citizen Participation
At the NGO Global Village there was discussion with all NGOs, including those in opposition with the government, so there was wide participation.

At the Civic Pavilion newly formed and publicly recruited organizations had the chance to participate, including overseas organizations.

At the Kaisho Plaza there was eco-friendly entertainment

In the Citizen Participation Events, most noteworthy was the Human Loop for World Peace event. On August 8, 2005 at 7.30pm people linked hands to make a ring of peace over 2.6klms.

Other volunteer activity of building on the philosophy and achievement of Expo 2005 Aichi going on is the Nanohana Project in 44 prefectures, the Mini NGO Global Village in Okazaki, and the planting of the OISCA Tea Garden. The Expo contributed a great deal to people’s health, gave them a great sense of satisfaction, and changed their awareness.

Volunteers
Volunteers young and old worked at Expo, participating in everything from garbage segregation to lost child services.

The same themes will be followed up in future Expos in Zagreb and Shanghai.