November 2009

Youth Department Donates Funds to UNICEF Collected in 2009 UNICEF Fundraising Campaign

On November 22, Rissho Kosei-kai's Youth Department announced the results of Rissho Kosei-kai's fundraising campaign for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in Fumon Hall at Rissho Kosei-kai headquarters in Tokyo. On the same day, at a gathering of Rissho Kosei-kai youth leaders from throughout Japan, the director of the Youth Department, Rev. Koichi Matsumoto, handed a letter detailing the total contributions to Mr. Ken Hayami, managing director of the Japan Committee for UNICEF.

During the campaign, from November 1, 2008, to October 31, 2009, 63,518,619 Japanese yen were collected from well-wishers throughout Japan at street corners and in bazaars by Rissho Kosei-kai youths from local Dharma Centers.

The donation will be forwarded to UNCEF's headquarters in New York and used for educational programs specified by the fund-raiser, in Nepal, Cambodia, the Philippines, and East Timor, and the Support Children Affected by Conflict program on the Philippine island of Mindanao conducted jointly by UNICEF and the World Conference of Religions for Peace.

During the presentation, Mr. Hayami thanked Rissho Kosei-kai for its long-term assistance with the activities of UNICEF since 1979, and said that past donations had enabled some 200,000 Filipino street children to receive educational and health care assistance, job training, and the means of livelihood. He concluded, "I hope all members of Rissho Kosei-kai will continue their activities in support of the world's children."

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