International High School Arts festival (3)

  IFAC Chairman Dr.Haruhisa Handa said to students, parents,embassy officials and other guest at the venue that this admission-free festival focuses on it openness to any high school student, and that the criteria of awards showcases the 'untested potential' of the students.
 In addition, he expressed his strong hope that he would like Japanese high school students students to interact with high school students from around the world. 

  Emphasizing the significance of young people's development of international friendship,   Dr.Handa restated a passage from Wolfgang von Goethe, "Those who knows nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own," that could be translated from the original German "Wer fremde Sprachen nicht kennt, weiß auch nichts von seiner eigenen."

 Dr.Handa hopes that next year, more foreign students will participate , so that they can see and experience art created by not only Japanese but non-Japanese students, make friends with each other, and have a significant experience in Japan with their teachers and parents.

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, July.7, 2015)
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/2015/07/07/special-supplements/coming-aspiring-artists-recognized-talents/#.VZ5Mb_0w_mI