Canada Post Strike (Japanese)
現在進行中のカナダポスト労働組合ストライキの影響で、郵便での寄付は小切手を含め、到着が遅れる恐れがございます。そのため、日系プレース基金ではオンラインまたはクレジットカードでのご寄付を推奨しております。オンラインでのご寄付はこちら、クレジットカードでのご寄付をご希望の方は604-777-2122までお電話ください。
日系プレース寄付者の皆様
現在進行中のカナダポスト労働組合ストライキの影響で、郵便での寄付は小切手を含め、到着が遅れる恐れがございます。そのため、日系プレース基金ではオンラインまたはクレジットカードでのご寄付を推奨しております。オンラインでのご寄付はこちら、クレジットカードでのご寄付をご希望の方は604-777-2122までお電話ください。
その他、日系センターの受付では直接のご寄付も受け付けております。速やかなタックスレシートのお受け取りを希望される際は、必ずメールアドレスをご提示ください。またご希望の方は、民間運送業者サービス(FedEx/UPS/Purolator等)で小切手を送っていただくことも可能です。
尚、12月31日までに頂いたご寄付に関しましては、当年度のタックスレシートを発行いたします。小切手でのご寄付の場合は、12月31日までに事務局に届いたものが当年度タックスレシートの対象となります。以降は次年度のお取り扱いとなりますのでご了承ください。
引き続き日系プレースへのご支援を賜りますようお願い申し上げます。
Canada Post Strike
Due to the ongoing Canada Post Strike, all mail-based donations including cheques may not arrive on time and receiving charitable tax receipts by snail mail may delay. Please consider making a donation through online.
Dear Nikkei Place Donors,
Due to the ongoing Canada Post Strike, all mail-based donations including cheques may not arrive on time and receiving charitable tax receipts by snail mail may delay. Please consider making a donation through online at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/16786 or call us at 604-777-2122 to make a donation by credit card. In-person donations are also accepted at the Nikkei Centre reception. Please make sure to provide your email address to receive a timely charitable tax receipt. Private carrier service can be an alternative in mailing cheques or correspondence.
NOTE: Donations received before December 31 will be issued a charitable tax receipt for 2024. Online donation is the best option to receive a tax receipt on time.
This postal disruption can put us at risk of facing delays and reducing overall contributions. We thank you for your continued support in helping us sustain and keep the Nikkei Place mission moving forward.
Introducing Keiko Funahashi: The Foundation’s New Development Director
Nikkei Place Foundation welcomes Keiko Funahashi to the team
Nikkei Place Foundation is pleased to welcome Keiko Funahashi as our Development Director! Keiko brings a wealth of expertise to NPF following her past experiences on the board of Nikkei Seniors Health Care & Housing Society, as the Executive Director of Tonari Gumi, and in the fields of educational program development and medical translation. She is a certified Japanese-English translator, and has a Bachelor of Arts degree from UBC and a Master of Arts degree in educational technology from Stanford University.
BC government to make an important historic announcement - May 21
The BC provincial government will be making an important historic announcement with the Japanese Canadian community on May 21, 2022. You are invited to attend via live stream and witness the announcement at 11:00 AM Pacific Time. A viewing party will be held…
BC government to make an important historic announcement - Saturday, May 21, 2022
The BC provincial government will be making an important historic announcement with the Japanese Canadian community on May 21, 2022. The announcement is in collaboration with local BC Japanese Canadian communities and the National Association of Japanese Canadians. You are invited to attend via live stream and witness the announcement at 11:00 AM Pacific Time.
The following links will go live at that time:
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BCProvincialGovernment/
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/BCGovNews?s=20
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ProvinceofBC
Join us at Nikkei Centre on Saturday, May 21st to watch this historic announcement together.
Viewing Party Hosted by the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre + Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens' Association
Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre
Ellipse Lobby
Saturday, May 21, 2022
Doors to Nikkei Centre open at 9:30am | Live stream starts at 11:00am
Priority seating for seniors
No RSVP required
Light refreshments
Contact/Inquiries: info@nikkeiplace.org | 604.777.7000
Nikkei Youth Athletics Bursary Recipients Announced
Congratulations to Kenji Yamamoto and Max Hamanishi, our newest bursary recipients!
Nikkei Place Foundation is excited to award two inspiring young people with the Nikkei Youth Athletics Bursary! This $1,000 annual bursary recognizes the achievements of Canadian Nikkei youth student-athletes who foster excellence in sports, academics and community leadership.
“It is important that the Nikkei Place Foundation use our platform to recognize their achievements and look towards how we can continue to support the next generation in meaningful ways.”
– Naomi Kawamura, Executive Director
Congratulations to Kenji Yamamoto and Max Hamanishi, our newest bursary recipients! Their passion for sport and building healthy communities is admirable, and we wish them well in their future endeavors.
Kenji Yamamoto is a second year student at Douglas College, enrolled in the Bachelor of Physical Education and Coaching (BPEC) program. His passion for sports and physical activities developed from a young age. Throughout highschool he played basketball, volleyball, and rugby, but he loved soccer the most. During his time with the Cliff Avenue F.C., his team won many competitions and trophies, including Bronze in the B.C. division 1 league.
He grew up surrounded by great influences, which not only gave him an amazing childhood, but ultimately the passion to become a P.E. teacher. He aspires to be a role model for younger generations, to inspire and help them achieve their highest potential.
Max Hamanishi is currently an undergraduate student-athlete in the Sports Science program, majoring in Kinesiology at Douglas College. He is a varsity baseball player with the Douglas College Royals and has played baseball for 13 years. He was the bronze medal BC team pitcher in the 2017 and 2018 Little League Canadian Championships. Max was also a competitive swimmer for 10 years and competed at the BC provincials each year from 2016 to 2019.
Max studied at Gladstone Japanese Language School and Coquitlam Japanese Language Academy. He spends time volunteering in the community picking up litter on neighbourhood streets and shovelling snow and delivering meals to seniors. Max’s favourite Japanese foods are chirashi zushi and zenzai.
Thank you to all the applicants. We encourage eligible individuals and organizations to apply now for the next bursary.
Meet previous recipients
Eiko Eby to lead Japanese Canadian Survivors Health and Wellness Fund
Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society is pleased to announce the appointment of Eiko Eby as the Project Manager for the Japanese Canadian Survivors Health and Wellness Fund.
Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society is pleased to announce the appointment of Eiko Eby as the Project Manager for the Japanese Canadian Survivors Health and Wellness Fund. Eiko will be working directly for Nikkei Seniors and will lead the Project working in tandem with Cathy Makihara and Ruth Coles.
Eiko Eby is a yonsei (4th generation) whose parents were both directly impacted by the government actions which forcibly uprooted, dispossessed, and displaced the lives of almost 22,000 Japanese Canadians living in BC. She honours the memory of her parents, grandparents and great grandparents, in her extensive community work. Eiko feels the approach to healing can be made through the lens of wellness.
Eiko was on the Board of the Central Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Cultural Society from 1987 until 2021, serving as President for the past 19 years before passing the torch to another great volunteer. She has worked on numerous committees for the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC), and considers her experience learning from Art Miki on the core team of the Community Renewal Fund as a moment when she discovered the importance of national outreach. A member of the National Executive Board of the NAJC for four years 2016-2020, as Director then Secretary, she holds her contribution to the groundwork for the first talks on BC Redress, as closest to her heart. Eiko also served the full 6 year term as a member of the Community Council of the University of Victoria-led Landscapes of Injustice Research Collective.
Health and wellness is a foundation of Eiko’s career practice as a Professor of Kinesiology at Vancouver Island University, from where she is set to retire. In 2018, Eiko received the Vancouver Island University President’s Award for Outstanding Community Engagement.
Eiko was a member of the Canadian National Women’s Over 55 Field Hockey Team that competed in the World Cup in 2018. A devout wife, mother and sister to her four siblings, Eiko is reliable in her relationships and true to her commitment to the community.
Province takes step to acknowledge historical wrongs against Japanese-Canadians
The Province is providing the Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society with $2 million as part of its commitment to honour the traumatic internment of almost 22,000 Japanese-Canadians during the Second World War.
The Province is providing the Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society with $2 million as part of its commitment to honour the traumatic internment of almost 22,000 Japanese-Canadians during the Second World War.
“This government acknowledges the role that it played in the historical wrongs committed against the Japanese-Canadians community during the 1940s,” said Rachna Singh, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives. “This initial grant is a first step towards lasting recognition of the trauma suffered by the community. We are committed to working with the National Association of Japanese Canadians over the coming year to define recognition opportunities in 2022 and beyond.”
Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society will use the $2 million to develop and deliver health and wellness-oriented programming for Japanese-Canadian internment survivors. The society will also administer funding with the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) to other Japanese-Canadian organizations that support survivors.
“The terrible loss suffered by thousands of Japanese-Canadians in the 1940s is still impacting the community today, with many experiencing lasting health issues and trauma,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “This funding will provide much-needed health and wellness supports to internment survivors, helping them to connect with others in their community, to stay healthy and remain independent over the coming years.”
The funding will help these centres to enhance their programming for seniors in assisted and independent living, as well as the local community. This will include supports for those with dementia and Parkinson’s disease, community talks about current issues and concerns, and exercise classes to help seniors stay fit and healthy.
“Trauma affects generations, and we have seen this time and time again,” said Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care. “That’s why today is so important – we must recognize the steps needed for the healing and recognition journey for Japanese-Canadians, who are now seniors, and ensure we fulfil our promise to the survivors of these historical wrongs.”
The grant is a first step towards fulfilling a mandate commitment of the Ministry of Attorney General to honour the Japanese-Canadian community by providing lasting recognition of the traumatic internment of Japanese -Canadians during World War II. This grant responds to recommendations from NAJC for targeted funding for health and social care programs for Japanese-Canadian survivors.
Lorene Oikawa, President, National Association of Japanese Canadians –
“In our work to preserve and share the history of Japanese Canadians and prevent injustices now and in the future, we also remember our Japanese Canadian survivors who are living today and they deserve the respect and supports they were once denied.”
Susanne Tabata, BC Redress Project Director, National Association of Japanese Canadians –
“Building on this grant, the NAJC will continue to work with our community partners towards more health & wellness supports for our seniors, expanding on a framework to include a focus on intergenerational trauma, along with dementia care, community care, an on-line digital wellness hub, all through the prism of a pandemic.”
Ruth Coles, President, Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society –
“These seniors have unique needs that stem from their lived experience of internment, forced uprooting, dispossession and displacement, causing many survivors to rebuild their lives outside of British Columbia. These actions led to challenges that have followed through life - their education was disrupted, friendship and trust taken away, and for much economic hardship, there are health issues, shame, and lack of resolution from these actions.”
Mary Kitagawa, Elder –
“The elderly survivors who are living now were children who now must carry on the pain of that cruel journey that our parents and grandparents suffered.”
Cathy Makihara, past Executive Director, Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society – “To ensure the fund meets priority needs, this will be a community-based participatory grant, where the local community identifies the priorities.”
Seniors Health and Wellness Announcement
Livestreaming
Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 11am PDT
This announcement will focus on seniors health and wellness for the Japanese Canadian community.
Join the BC Ministry of Attorney General Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism, Rachna Singh, for a special announcement, accompanied by a Welcome from Bernie Skundaal Williams, a statement from elder Mary Kitagawa and a program description from Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society’s Ruth Coles and Cathy Makihara. This announcement will focus on seniors health and wellness for the Japanese Canadian community.
The announcement and event will be livestreamed at https://youtu.be/hJcunqij9g0 on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 beginning at 11am PDT.
NNMCC ‘Resilience Fundraiser’ Campaign Concludes, Surpassing $250,000 Goal
The NNMCC is pleased to announce that the Resilience Fundraiser campaign raised over $306,000, surpassing their target by over $55,000!
NNMCC ‘Resilience Fundraiser’ Campaign Concludes, Surpassing $250,000 Goal
Community support has been overwhelmingly positive, and echoes the importance and desire for Nikkei Centre to serve as a place of community gathering, historic preservation, and cultural exchange.
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic created great challenges for individuals, families, businesses and organizations. The Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre (NNMCC) was no exception, and faced significant uncertainties and financial challenges. However, through resilience, resourcefulness and the generous support from all of our Resilience campaign donors, the Nikkei Centre persevered through the year, and found new ways to remain operational and serve the community.
The NNMCC launched the ‘Resilience Fundraiser’ campaign on April 1, 2020, and concluded in the new year on January 22, 2021, to raise essential operational funds. The support of community members was overwhelmingly positive, and echoes the importance and desire for Nikkei Centre to serve as a place of community gathering, historic preservation and cultural exchange.
The NNMCC is pleased to announce that the Resilience Fundraiser campaign raised over $306,000, surpassing their target by over $55,000! Thank you to all donors for supporting the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre!
““On behalf of the Board of Directors [of the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre], I would like to thank you – our Community – for your extraordinary support of our aptly-named Resilience Fundraiser. As a result of your incredible generosity, we are better positioned than many charitable organizations to meet the unprecedented operational challenges that we continue to face during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the very generous group of anonymous donors who graciously provided the matching donations.”
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Photo credit: Manto Artworks
The generosity of donors provided a lifeline for the NNMCC, and helped ensure they could continue to their charitable mission to honour, preserve and share Japanese culture and Japanese Canadian history and heritage for a better Canada. While many public facilities closed or became unavailable due to pandemic restrictions, the Nikkei Centre, with approved safety plans, was able to re-open and allow limited activities such as: martial arts, Japanese language school, small-scale outdoor markets, and visits to the Broken Promises exhibit, while many locals enjoyed the beauty and tranquility of Nikkei Garden. We expanded our online shop and online programs, presentations and workshops, and educational resources for distance-learning.
Discover:
As a gathering place, the Nikkei Centre was able to provide some semblance of normality to an abnormal year. All of these opportunities and achievements could not have been possible without the generous support from all of our Resilience campaign donors.
The NNMCC will continue to work hard to fulfill our mission and continue to meet the needs of our seniors, families, individuals and community.
To conclude the Resilience campaign, all gifts are acknowledged on the Resilience Fundraiser Donor Wall (also viewable in the February issue of The Bulletin and soon to be on display in the Nikkei Centre lobby).
ご支援いただき、誠に有難うございました。
Robert Banno, Q.C., receives the Meritorious Service Cross (Civil Division)
Robert Banno, Q.C., receives the Meritorious Service Cross (Civil Division). He is recognized for his leadership in the creation of Nikkei Place, a landmark cultural institution that unites Japanese Canadian and Nikkei communities across all generations.
Robert Banno, Q.C., receives the Meritorious Service Cross (Civil Division)
One of the highest honours awarded in our country by the Governor General of Canada
The late Robert Banno, Q.C., the founding President of both Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre and Nikkei Place Foundation, is honoured with the Meritorious Service Cross (Civil Division). The announcement came on July 1, 2020, by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada.
This decoration is one of the highest honours awarded in our country by the Governor General of Canada; it celebrates Canadians who have performed an exceptional deed or activity that brings honour to Canada. Robert Banno is recognized for his leadership in the creation of Nikkei Place, a landmark cultural institution in Burnaby that unites the Japanese Canadian community.
Robert identified the land Nikkei Place is situated on and served as the Founding President of Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre (NNMCC). He also led the merger of the National Nikkei Heritage Centre Society and the Japanese Canadian National Museum, forming the NNMHC. In 2002, Robert helped to establish the Nikkei Place Foundation to support the fundraising efforts of both the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre and the Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society (NSHCHS) and served as the Foundation’s Board President until his death. A fund will be established in Robert Banno’s name to be held at Nikkei Place Foundation.
He learned he would be a recipient of the Meritorious Service Cross (Civil Division) just two weeks prior to his untimely passing. At the time he remarked, “It feels really good to be recognized by Canada”.