This period was dedicated to establishing contacts with various European and Japanese bodies, institutions, and their representatives. It was primarily a time to get to know one another, as the project’s implementation requires effective teamwork and managing multiple activities simultaneously.
Following the Board of Directors’ request, several working groups or committees have been established since July to address specific objectives of our association and future operations.
A group led by Diane Crawford was created to propose operating rules and revised organizational arrangements. This group has developed amendments to the articles of association and internal rules, which are up for approval at this year’s General Assembly Meeting.
The Communication group, headed by Carla Amorim, has successfully launched our website, integrating a registration system for new members, including online payment for initial fees and subscription renewals.
The Education and Training group, led by Maiko Ishida, is currently planning future education and training activities in Japanese gardening, aimed at both amateurs and professionals. To support this effort, Joseph Grimaldi is working on identifying organizations involved with Japanese gardens in Europe to understand their needs for support from EuroJGA.
Carl De Coster has taken responsibility for the inventory of Japanese gardens in Europe and serves as the minute-taker for EuroJGA Board meetings. Meanwhile, Yoko Mizuma leads a group developing relations with organizations in Japan.
Christian Tagsold has taken charge of collaborations and research with universities.
During this period, I have established informal connections with professional organizations, foundations, institutions, universities, and Japanese communities. These draft agreements are pending and may be signed in 2024, pending further discussions and approval by the Board of Directors. These “collaboration agreements” aim to facilitate future exchanges and visits between Japanese and European specialists, including study trips, training programs, and seminars.
Furthermore, I have initiated contacts with representatives from the Japanese government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the Japanese Embassy in France, the Ministry of Transport and Tourism in Japan, and the European Union. These efforts aim to establish an official relationship between our association, Europe, and Japan, and for EuroJGA to be recognized at a high level.
In recent months, I have paused external relationship-building efforts to allow the Board of Directors to strengthen our internal organizational structures and prioritize urgent activities, as well as to define our strategic role in fostering relations between Europe and Japan.
The contributions of each Board member who has devoted their time to this initiative are significant, and we will need additional support and new members to help advance this important project.
Written November 20, 2023
Jean-Pierre Chavassieux
President
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