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NT Bureau
Chennai, Jan 28:
 

Consul General for Japan Yoshiaki Kodaki  looking at the paintings at SOS Children's  Villages of India Chatnath Homes in Tambaram.

        It was a double celebration, so to say. At SOS Children's Villages of India Chatnath Homes campus in Tambaram, the inmates were a happy lot because it was 28 years ago it (the Home) came into being and an exhibition of their drawings was inaugurated recently.

        Consul General for Japan Yoshiaki Kodaki, who inaugurated the exhibition, went around the hall where the paintings were displayed and looked on with great admiration.

        Speaking on the occasion, he said, 'I am happy to be able to visit SOS Children's Villages of India Chatnath Homes and celebrate the exhibition of drawings by children of SOS Children's Villages and coloured by Japanese friends and children.'

        This year India and Japan are celebrating Indo-Japan friendship year in commemoration of the 50th year of Indo-Japan cultural exchange agreement, he said and added 'I hope that the exhibition rightly signifies the friendly relationship between India and Japan in line with the celebration and further more will pave way for strengthening our mutual understanding.'

        Kodaki also said he was happy to learn that a grant extended to the SOS Children's Villages by the Japanese government through the 'Grant Assistance for Grassroots Project' in 1991 has been successfully implemented and had benefitted many children.

        The idea of the painting exhibition came after the visit of artist Rima Fujita from Japan to the Village. Rima, who was introduced to the SOS Village by a friend, wanted to do a project, which would connect the children of the Village with the people of Japan. During her visit, she encouraged the children to draw.

        She also put up her own exhibition in Tokyo in November 2005 to introduce the SOS concept to the people of Japan.

        Fujita said, 'It was aimed at exchanging friendly ties between the children of the Village and the Japanese.'

        Akiko Kodaki, wife of the Japanese Consul General and P M Amza, Deputy High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Chennai, were also present.

        The SOS Chatnath Homes is part of SOS India and the worldwide SOS movement. The SOS Children's Villages of India cares for destitute and orphaned children, in a cluster of houses. Playing a major role in the lives of these children, it has been home to 357 children, since its inception.