Opening Reception for the Exposition of “La vie (life)“ by the Association of Japanese Artists in Switzerland
And
for Japanese Cultural Month 2010

1　　On November 1, the opening reception for the Exposition “La vie“（painting, photography and calligraphy）by the association of Japanese Artists in Switzerland was held at the Galerie des Pas Perdus of the Palais des Nations. The exposition commemorates the 65th Anniversary of the United Nations, and the beginning of Japanese Cultural Month 2010 was also officially announced at the reception.

2　　Among others, Mr. Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Director-General of the United Nations Office in Geneva, Ambassador Shinichi Kitajima, Permanent Representative of Japan, Ambassador Kenichi Suganuma, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan and Chief of the Consulate of Japan in Geneva and Ms. Yachiyo Ito, President of the Association of Japanese Artists in Switzerland celebrated the Exposition.
　　In his remarks, Ambassador Kitajima stated, “I am very glad that the Permanent Mission of Japan, in the commemoration of the 65th Anniversary of the foundation of the United Nations, co-sponsored, together with the United Nations Office in Geneva and the Consulate of Japan in Geneva, such an exposition by Japanese artists on the theme of “life”. In Geneva, various important issues are discussed daily in such areas as human rights, development, humanitarian aid and public health; and I believe that the purposes and goals of all these discussions, in the end, are related to the lives of human beings, mitigating dangers to them and promoting the respect of human dignity. I sincerely hope that as many people as possible will visit this exposition and this cultural event will be a good opportunity for all who visit to consider the importance of life. ”

3　　More than 200 people from Permanent Missions in Geneva, the UN and other international organizations, the Japanese community, the Canton of Geneva as well as academia and artists attended the reception and enjoyed Japanese fine arts and a music performance by “Outanokai”, a Japanese choral group based in Geneva.