"KIZUNA MESSAGE for Biodiversity" was held at the Japan Pavilion of RIO+20, on June 18, 2012.  The theme of this event was “Biodiversity and Recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake.”

This event was co-hosted by the Japan Committee for the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation, AEON Co., Ltd., and OISCA International, under the auspices of the Japan’s Ministry of the Environment.  The children of Tohoku delivered the “thank you message” to the world, and jointly made a declaration which enables for world children to cooperate internationally and establish a sustainable society in the future.

Ms. Yukari Ikeda(AEON CHEERS CLUB'Shin Natori Store）, a third-grade junior high school student from Miyagi Prefecture, one of the Tohoku devastated areas of Japan, and Mr. Rajat Agrawal of 15 years of old from India, gave speeches in English at the event.  They both joined “The World Summit for Children in Tohoku, A Promise for the future, living together with Nature”* held on May 12 and 13 in Miyagi Prefecture prior to this event. 

 “Our town is recovering little by little.  We should work together to protect our planet (…) Forests protect not only our fields but also our lives from cold sea winds.”  Yukari who lost her relatives in the earthquake appealed strongly in her speech.

After their speeches, another all-hands event “Origami Green Wave” program featuring the traditional Japanese craft of “origami” was held to encourage children’s promise to the future through folding origami “trees” and wrote messages to the children.  The children in Brazil, the host country, and the adults got together, and their messages were delivered on the origami green wave.

* “The World Summit for Children in Tohoku, A Promise for the future, living together with Nature” was co-hosted by the AEON Co., Ltd. and the OISCA International on May 12 and 13, 2012, in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, as the pre-program of the “KIZUNA MESSAGE for Biodiversity”.  The 10 children from the 5 Asia-Pacific countries including Fiji, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand visited Japan and the 20 children from Tohoku, Japan went to the devastated areas together, learned about the efforts for recovery, and exchanged their opinions about the environment where people can live harmoniously together with nature.  The declaration made at the RIO+20 was prepared based on their experience and discussions.