YOKOHAMA YOUNGSTERS BRINGING HOPES, DREAMS, AND YEN FOR PEACE TO UN

NEW YORK, 24 October -- Combining good intentions with cold, hard cash to support United Nations peace efforts around the world, four Japanese students will arrive in New York on 25 October to deliver their fellow Yokohama City residents’ pooled donations to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).  Selected through an English speech competition, held throughout Japan’s second largest city, the students, ages 11-15, will be acting as official city representatives under the United Nations Peace Messenger Programme.

Since being designated as an official United NationsPeace Messenger City in 1987, Yokohama has sent four young student representatives each year, with the high level of annual donations reflecting city residents’ determined wishes for world peace.  The terrorist attacks of 9/11 prevented the mission to the United Nationsin 2001, but last year, in what has become an annual tradition, students met with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and presented him with the year’s proceeds: 14,661,177 yen (approximately $122,000).  Yokohama’s contribution this year is expected to be about $106,000.

The group of elementary and junior high school students will stay in New York for about one week, first meeting on Monday, 27 October, with United Nations representatives, as well as Japan’s Ambassador and staff, touring the United Nations Building, visiting UNICEF and sitting in on classes at the United Nations International School, before heading back to Yokohama, where they are expected to share their experiences with fellow students and carry on Yokohama’s efforts for world peace.

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