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Money for culture

Japanese government finances a Ukrainian arts center

Photo by Kostiantyn HRYSHYN, The Day AFTER THE SIGNING CEREMONY JAPANESE ACTORS PERFORMED SHISHIMAI, THE JAPANESE LION DANCE. IN THE PHOTO: TADASHI IDZAVA AND MYKHAILO ZHUROVSKY

Money without culture is a lot worse than culture without money. Art patrons have carried out their noble mission throughout history guided by this thought. Fortunately, Ukrainian culture is in the same privileged position: the Japanese government has resolved to grant $68,000 for the needs of the Culture and Arts Center at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI).

Tadashi Idzava, Japan’s Ex­tra­ordinary and Pleni­po­ten­tiary Ambassador to Ukraine, and Mykhailo Zhurovsky signed the grant contract to provide small-scale assistance to the Culture and Arts Center. Idzava said at the signing ceremony that in the future the Japanese government intends to run several similar projects per year. In his turn, Zhurovsky promised to the Japanese diplomat that he will apply maximum efforts to develop the friendly relations between Japan and Ukraine. “This financial assistance gives hope to and opens prospects for our center,” he said.

After the contract aimed at helping Ukrainian culture has been signed, there was a place for Japanese culture at the event. The Ukrainian-Japanese Center, which cooperates with the KPI, offered a glimpse into the traditional Japanese New Year festivities. Actors dressed as lions performed the shishimai (Japanese lion dance). The lion strutted around the room, very gingerly biting the visitors. Re­pre­sen­tatives of the Ukrainian-Japa­ne­se Cultural Center demonstrated their culinary skills — in front of everyone, with singing and dancing, they cooked mochi (Japanese rice cakes).

Remarkably, this is not the first Japanese grant to Ukrainian cultural establishments. Since 1998 Japan has granted $4.2 million to education, cultural, and arts institutions in Ukraine. The beneficiaries were, among others, the National Philharmonic Society of Ukraine, the Kyiv Children Arts Academy, and the National Museum of Ukrainian History.

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