11/10/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Attends 30th Anniversary of Minato City Declaration as City of Peace; Embassy Participates Minato City Festival 2015

October 10 and 11, 2015:
Minato City Festival was held on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th October, at wider Shiba Koen area in Minato-ku, Tokyo. The embassy of Afghanistan participated by opening a booth to introduce its rich culture and history, as well as honored having being invited to the one of the main event of the festival, a panel discussion session with the university students to think about peace, by commemorating this year being Minato-ku’s 30th anniversary since it has declared itself as City of Peace in 1985.

The panel discussion session was opened with the attendance of the Honorable Mayor of Minato City Mr. Masaaki Takei, and it was an honor of His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Sayed Mohammad Amin Fatimie to communicate with Mayor Mr. Takei at the occasion, by expressing His Excellency’s congratulations for 30th anniversary of the declaration, deep appreciation for the cooperation of Minato City as the embassy of Afghanistan has stationed in the city since 2008, and respect to the local government’s promoting efforts for delivering message of peace to the world. The Honorable Mr. Takei responded with his gratitude that it is such an honor and pleasure to have H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie at the occasion, and appreciated the words that he, too, wishes to work together in the Minato-ku for further promoting the peace. Following the exchange, H.E. Ambassador delivered the keynote speech regarding peace and Afghanistan.

The session continued as H.E. Dr. Fatimie, along with Mr. Ghafoori, first secretary, and Mr. Karimi, second secretary, and 9 university students from Minato City appeared on the stage, and discussed the peace –why it is difficult to attain, relation with religion, and what we can do. Throughout the discussion session and since its preparations, the participating students had expressed that it really was an honor to have H.E. Ambassador Fatimie and the embassy’s involvement to this commemorating event, and for such a complex topic they had learned so much and very much inspired that the event became such a memorable one for them as well as for Minato City. The session was concluded successfully as the students side remarked their willingness that what has discussed be remembered and even small steps may make a positive movement to realize a peaceful world.

The embassy of Afghanistan’s booth opened for 2 days in “peace plaza” area of the festival was visited by number of people. The booth was decorated with the displays of Afghan traditional clothes, dolls, photo panels, etc. Afghan snacks such as goshifil and sambosa, prepared fully by the embassy, were distributed for free of charge, and they were very popular among visitors. 14 embassies of other countries stationing in Minato City also had their booths, and it was an honor of the embassy to receive Mayor Takei’s visit there by representing Afghanistan. Additionally, it was a pleasure of the embassy to communicate and further strengthen the friendly inter-embassy relationship with other embassies, as well as local residents and businesses through this event. The embassy of Afghanistan in Japan expresses its deep appreciation to Minato City Office and the officers for the coordination and cooperation for the embassy’s successful participation for the entire occasion.

2/10/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Invited to Observe Graduation and Entrance Ceremony of Yokohama City University

October 02, 2015:
It was a pleasure of H.E. Ambassador Dr. Sayed Mohammad Amin Fatimie to be invited and observe the graduation and the entrance ceremony of Yokohama City University. The ceremonies were held separately, though consecutively. The university has been one of well known one in Japan among Afghan former exchange students since it has accepted Afghan students constantly for past some years, especially in the academic field of farming and genetics through official scholarship program provided by Japan. This year specifically, 3 Afghan students had successfully fulfilled their academic courses to earn master’s degree from the university.

At the ceremony, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie delivered the speech and congratulated the graduates and enrolling 2 new students, and extended his deep gratitude both for Yokohama City University and Japanese government, particularly JICA for directly administrating the scholarship which has given educational opportunities to many Afghans, as well as Japan Science and Technology Agency for providing the program. It was H.E. Ambassador’s pleasure to present an Afghan traditional clothes “chapan” to the president of the university, Mr. Yoshinobu Kubota, for supporting Afghan students over the years. H.E. Dr. Fatimie also had a pleasure of meeting Mr. Kimio Okada, vice president of the university; Mr. Masaru Tachibana, dean of graduate school of Nanobioscience; Mr. Kaname Araki, Director for General Affairs Department, International Affairs Bureau, City of Yokohama; Mr. Yasushi Shintani, senior staff Department of International Affairs, Japan Science and Technology Agency to appreciate their effort that help build a foundation of development in Afghanistan.

The ceremony was also reported on Yokohama City University's webpage. Please visit http://www.yokohama-cu.ac.jp/res/h27fall_e_ceremony_report.html(available in Japanese)

24/09/2015 Prayer for the occasion of Eid-al-Adha

September 24, 2015:
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Sayed Mohammad Amin Fatimie had a great pleasure of visiting Tokyo Camii, along with the diplomats of the embassy, Afghan residents in the area and other Muslims, for the occasion of the prayer for Eid-al-Adha. H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie congratulated the occasion and expressed his wishes for all that they would have a good holiday with good health. At the prayer, H.E. Dr. Fatimie coincided with Captain Murat Erdem, Military Attache stationed at Turkish Embassy in Japan, and communicated, on behalf of the people and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, to express the gratitude for the people and the Government of Turkey that have been a good friend and have contributed to the redevelopment of Afghanistan. Captain Erdem responded with the wish for the holiday, that he appreciates the H.E. Dr. Fatimie’ s kind words and he wishes even better friendship of Turkey and Afghanistan.

17/09/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Invited to Graduation Ceremony of GRIPS

September 17, 2015:
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Sayed Mohammad Amin Fatimie, accompanied by Mr. Ahmad Bashir Ghafoori, first secretary, had a pleasure of being invited to the graduation ceremony of National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS).


Among others, two Afghan students for the GRIPS’ master’s degree course successfully fulfilled their curriculum this season, who had studied in Japan through Japan's official scholarship called PEACE program of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). H.E. Ambasador Dr. Fatimie congratulated and expressed to Mr. Hamdullah Hamdard and Mr. Obaidullah that their academic experiences and achievements are much needed for the reconstruction of their home, Afghanistan, and their effort and dedication to it is much looked forward, for the peace, stability, and prosperity of future Afghanistan.

16/09/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Attends UNITAR Reception for Welcoming Afghan Women's National Football Team visiting Hiroshima

September 16, 2015:
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Sayed Mohammad Amin Fatimie visited Hiroshima to attend the reception welcoming Afghanistan women’s national football team hosted by United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
The reception was truly meaningful to the people and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The team inspires and gives hope to the empowerment of women in Afghanistan, due to little choices women had in their life until not so long ago. In the speech, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie expressed his deepest gratitude towards Ms. Mihoko Kumamoto, Director of UNITAR Hiroshima Office for organizing and inviting the team to Hiroshima, and for hosting the momentous reception. H.E. Dr. Fatimie also met and expressed his sincere appreciation to H.E. Mr. Hidehiko Yuzaki, the Governor of Hiroshima prefecture; Mr. Kuniya Daini, Chairman of Japan Football Association; and Mr. Aritatsu Ogi, Chairman of Hiroshima Football Association, for their presence at the reception as well as for the invaluable support they have been providing to Afghanistan.
At the reception, H.E. Dr. Fatimie also had a pleasure to meet distinguished guests from Hiroshima, Mr. Kenji Hataishi, Mr. Naoyuki Ogata, Mr. Koji Nakahara, Mr. Icchoku Sato, and Mr. Yasumitsu Shimohara of Prefectural Assembly; Mr. Ryuji Ishibashi of Hiroshima City Assembly; Mr. Hidekazu Orita, President of Sanfrecce Hiroshima Football Club; Mr. Kazuhiro Matsuda, Managing Director/Acting Owner, and Mr. Makoto Nobira, Executive of Hiroshima Toyo Carp Co., LTD; Mr. Shingo Senda, Executive of Chogoku (RCC) Broadcasting Co., LTD; Mr. Jun’ichiro Watanabe, Vice President/Producer of FA-CLUB; and Ms. Ayako Nakano, interpreter from JICA. (listed alphabetically in each category)
The team is scheduled to have a friendly “peace match” against Ange Violet Hiroshima on Sunday, September 20th at Edion Stadium Hiroshima. (Match detail: http://angeviolet.com/archives/945)

15/09/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Attends “Ambassadors’ Breakfast”

September 15, 2015:
It was a great honor for H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie to attend “Ambassadors’ Breakfast,” a special gathering for Ambassadors stationed in Tokyo, and listen to H.E. Mr. Yoichi Masuzoe, Governor of Tokyo regarding issues of Tokyo today, and his plans for the future of the city.

Already one of the greatest cities in the world Tokyo has been, Governor Masuzoe presented many interesting plans not only for redeveloping Tokyo for Olympic/Paralympic games scheduled in 2020, but also for the long-term growth of the mega-city.

6/08/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Attends the 2015 Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima

August 6, 2015:

There are things in human history talking about which we quickly feel a lack of words, maybe because these are things that could never have been imagined by those who, throughout history, constituted our languages. Disaster, calamity, tragedy, catastrophe, woe? It is probably this linguistic shortcoming which caused the man who designed the weapon the World commemorated the first and only use to employ inappropriate words when he saw the first test.

On Thursday, August 6, 2015, at 08:15, that was exactly 70 years that the atomic bomb exploded 600 meters above the city of Hiroshima, taking away 80.000 lives instantly, and thousands more in the following days. This anniversary, for which the city of Hiroshima organizes each year a crucial ceremony, is not an opportunity to accuse one side or another, it is a chance given to the World to remember that this must never happen again anywhere.

Thus, it was an utmost honor for H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie to be present at the Peace Memorial Ceremony. This ceremony was absolutely commendable as it aimed to come together for the victims – to look at the past – in order to contribute realizing everlasting peace – to build a safer future. H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie shared the assistance’s aspiration for unending peace on behalf of the government and the people of Afghanistan, but also personally given the very human aspect of the ceremony.

This ceremony is also to remind to the World the imperious necessity of peace as wars only bring calamities, sadness and sorrow. Afghanistan and Japan have more in common than what people usually think – this is something H.E. former Ambassador Haron Amin, may he rest in peace, masterfully demonstrated in his book Lands under the rising sun – and one example of that is the fact that both countries have the uncountable value of peace carved in their history.

The ceremony and linked events have been an occasion for H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie to have a discussion with several people from different professional horizons: Mr. Hidehiko Yuzaki, Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture; Mr. Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of the City of Hiroshima; Hon. Mr. Hiroshi Hiraguchi, LDP member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Budget Committee of the Lower House of the Diet; Hon. Mr. Terafumi Horiuchi, Communist Party member of the House of Representatives; Hon. Mr. Tetsuo Saito, Secretary-General of Komeito and member of the House of Representatives; Mr. Tomoyuki Yamane, Corporate Director and General Manager of the RIGHA Royal Hotel Hiroshima; and the journalists Ms. Tomomi Shineha of the Chugoku Shimbun and Mr. Masato Tainaka of the Asahi Shimbun.

5/08/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Attends a Reception Hosted by the City of Hiroshima

August 05, 2015:
On the evening before the Peace Memorial Ceremony, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie had the honor of attending a dinner reception hosted by the City of Hiroshima. There, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie had the opportunity to meet with outstanding individuals, such as Mr. Hidehiko Yuzaki, the Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture; Mr. Kazumi Matsui, the Mayor of the City of Hiroshima; Hon. Mr. Tadamori Oshima, the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and Hon. Mr. Masaaki Yamazaki, the President of the House of Councillors.

The dinner reception was an excellent occasion for H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie and the participants to share thoughts on the meaning and significance of peace for the coming ceremony.

4/08/2015 H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie Visits the “Fukushima Fair in Kasumigaseki”

August 4, 2015:
H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie made a point of honor to be present at the “Fukushima Fair in Kasumigaseki”, an event hosted by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to which the Diplomatic Missions in Japan were invited.
Too often, ordinary and brave citizens face dramatic issues they did not provoke but which they have to continue to live with. Afghans know it, and so do Japanese. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will never forget the help Japan brought and will do everything it can to prove it.
This is why H.E. Ambassador Dr. Fatimie went to the fair to demonstrate his conviction that the Fukushima Prefecture will recover 2011’s disaster as it has many resources, and bought a few peaches and small cakes to offer the Embassy staff as well as his family.