“Living Together in a Global Community” Study Group: Screening of a documentary film: Canta! Timor

2012年7月2日更新

On July 2, 2012, some members of the “Living Together in a Global Community” Study Group who have been organizing study sessions on East Timor since 2011 held a screening of the documentary Canta! Timor directed by Natsuko Hirota.

The small Southeast Asian country of East Timor celebrated the tenth anniversary of its independence in May this year. This documentary presents the difficult history of this nation that is not well-known in Japan. It traces the story of the country from Portuguese colonial rule to occupation by the Japanese military during World War II to the occupation and annexation by Indonesia years after that and then the oppression that led to the independence movement. Interspersing songs as well as scenes of East Timor’s beautiful nature, the film also offers a vivid presentation of the philosophy, customs, and religious beliefs of the people. The screening provided an opportunity for those not familiar with East Timor to learn about the history and people of this country and to think about how we can live together in a global community.

At the event, participants were offered Peace Coffee, a fair trade* coffee produced in East Timor. Megumi Kuwana, a lecturer at the Global Collaboration Center, has been involved in activities to support East Timor since right after the nation’s independence, and following the screening she spoke about efforts to achieve reconciliation and reconstruction in East Timor. There was also time for conversation among the participants.

The screening was a very meaningful event for Ochanomizu University students who seek to work in the area of international cooperation in the future. The Study Group plans to organize other events in Japan, both at the university and beyond, to think about and take actions to create a global community where we live together in peace.

* Fair trade aims to promote sustainability in the developing world by purchasing agricultural produce and handicrafts from economically and socially disadvantaged producers at prices that are set higher than regular international market prices. In addition to transaction prices, fair trade also seeks to address producers’ labor conditions as well as the environment.

For details: → Canta! Timor Website