Relief bazaar for the refugees from Ukraine

Date: Wednesday, June 15, 2022
Venue: Minato City Life-long Learning Center

　We heartily sympathize with the Ukrainian people who are either fighting gallantly or undergoing hardships beyond what words can express.  There is a spacious ground in front of the Minato City Life-long Learning Center “Balloon” where business persons regularly walk through.  We hit upon an idea to hold a relief bazaar there so we can expect assistance from the passers-by as well as MUA members.  Thanks to advices from the MUA secretariat and members, we could put into action the planned bazaar.

　We had a fine weather and there were many bazaar items to sell.  MUA members actively called out to passers-by to drop in and purchase such items.  We engaged in pleasant conversation with interested people concerning specifics of bazaar items, their hobbies, etc.  Thus, we could accomplish more sales and donations than expected in this first campaign.  Although a majority of items were

priced only at \10 or so, we could raise a total of \82,387 because so many people dropped by and purchased items of their choice   We sent the proceeds to the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan.  We were later informed that nationwide a total of \74,401,528 was raised from 804 UNESCO organizations located throughout Japan as of May 31.

I’d like to reiterate our hearty thanks to the MUA secretariat and members, the related Balloon staff and security persons.  Their cooperation helped to realize the relief bazaar for Ukraine.

(Written by ISOBE T., Vice President, and translated by TANAHASHI S. the PR & Internet Committee)