06/03/2013
H.E. Mr. Al-Otaibi, Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Japan Meets Miyagi Governor: Appreciation to the State of Kuwait Reiterated

H.E. Mr. Abdul-Rahman Al-Otaibi, the Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Japan traveled to Sendai City, the Capital of Miyagi Prefecture, to attend the Electronic Board Donation Ceremony at the Miyagi Government Hall followed by the Call to H.E. Mr. Yoshihiro Murai, Governor of Miyagi Prefecture.

The trip was arranged by the Japanese Ref Cross Society in appreciation to the series of donations and aids from the State of Kuwait extended to the Tohoku Region after the East Japan Great Earthquake and the tsunami brought about massive disaster to the region. The national flags of the State of Kuwait and Japan were hoisted at the central courtyard of the Miyagi Government Hall in honor of H.E. Mr. Al-Otaibi’s visit to the city.

This time, the donation ceremony was held to commemorate purchase of total 16 electronic boards making use of the aid money from the State of Kuwait. In the fiscal year 2013, eight new elementary and junior high schools were inaugurated, by the merger of several neighboring schools damaged by the tsunami disaster in the aftermath of the East Japan Great Earthquake. The electric boards worth 10 million yen in total are provided to the eight schools (two for each school, total 16) in Ishinomaki City, Kesennuma City, Higashi-Matushima City and Onagawa Town to help facilitating the educational tools.

The donation was handed over in a form of item catalogue from H.E. Mr. Abdul-Rahman Al-Otaibi, Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Mr. Hitoshi Takahashi, Head Official of Miyagi Board of Education. Mr. Ryuichi Suzuki, Secretary General of the Japanese Red Cross Society Miyagi Branch also attended the ceremony.

After the ceremony, H.E. Mr. Al-Otaibi visited H.E. Mr. Yoshihiro Murai, Miyagi Governor at his office and held a friendly conversation. First of all, H.E. Mr. Murai appreciated the extra donation from the State of Kuwait that was utilized to purchase the educational tool for school children. H.E. Mr. Al-Otaibi answered by saying that he was glad too to know that the aid from Kuwait was used for the educational purpose to encourage children to return to their school lives and prepare to play initiative roles in the future of Japan. In this sense, H.E. Mr. Al-Otaibi praised the efforts of the Japanese Red Cross Society and Miyagi Prefectural Government for their project finding and fund matching endeavors.

H.E. Mr. Murai renewed his appreciation to the series of donations from the State of Kuwait, in a form of crude oil of 500 million barrel extended in 2011, additional money aids extended last year, and the donation of succor balls, stationery, food and daily supplies brought by H.E. Mr. Al-Otaibi himself to the tsunami-affected Kesennuma City only one month after the disaster.

H.E. Mr. Al-Otaibi remembered the scenery of the coastal area when he visited the city where the destruction by the tsunami was beyond the imagination. He appreciated the recovery of the region after two years and expressed his wish for children of Miyagi who learn through these new educational tools will visit the State of Kuwait some day to be a bridge between the two countries.