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Polaris Post Volume 23
April 2009
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* [Saturday, May 9, 7pm-: Seminar on Child Trafficking:
    Art touches the heart of human trafficking victims]

The Golden Week is coming.
While we hear that some people have no choice but to take 16-day off
due to the declining economy, but I hope that you have some good
plans for the upcoming holiday.

Polaris Project will hold the forth seminar in the series on child
trafficking on Saturday, May 9, after the Golden Week.
Please mark your calendar!

Following the third seminar with Mr. Kabe, former head of Cambodia
Office, of Kamonohashi Project, the forth seminar will once again
cover Cambodia and welcomes Mr. Akihiko Morita, Tokyo Institute of
Technology.

The theme of the forth seminar might sound a bit different from the
previous three: Sensing the feelings of human trafficking victims
with the use of art.

How does art relate to human trafficking? To find out, please join
our discussion on May 9.

The seminar would be recommended if:
you have any possibility of working with human trafficking as part
of your work; you would like to feel closer to the trafficking
victims; and you would like to learn more about Cambodia.

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Polaris Project Monthly Seminar: "How do we stop Commercial Sexual
Exploitation of Children" Forth in the Series--Learning Commercial
Sexual Exploitation of Children and Human Trafficking with Expressive
Art: Case of Cambodia

<<Summary>>
Mr. Morita will introduce the cases of human trafficking, mainly
from the results of research workshops he conducted in the summer of
2006 in Cambodia, targeting human trafficking victims and utilizing
art. He will invite you to experience the part of his workshops to
sense the feelings (inner pains) of victims.

What is workshop that utilizes art?
The forth seminar will invite you to think about human trafficking
and victims with different perspectives from the other seminars, t

<<Date>>
Saturday, May 9, 7pm to 9pm

<<Speaker Profile>>
Akihiko Morita, Professor of Tokyo Institute of Technology
BA (Western History), Tohoku University; PhD, Waseda University
Political Thought, Sociology (Child Rights, Human Rights,
Participatory Learning and Research with Expressive Art)
Prior to joining Tokyo Institute of Technology, he worked for the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan), UNDP, Japan Committee for UNICEF
(PR Manager). Other experiences include: Head of Children & Youth
Program, the Second World Congress Against Commercial Sexual
Exploitation of Children, held in Yokohama in December 2001;
Unit Sub-Lead, Environment Unit, NGO Forum, G8 Summit in Toyako,
Hokkaido (Unit Lead from September 2008);
Senior Advisor, Save the Children Japan.

<<Admission Fee>>
　1,000 yen (500 yen for students; please present your student ID
  at the door)

<<Registration>>
　Please fill in the form online at:
  http://my.formman.com/form/pc/jtlfbc6KYEZPZFJm/　
　* Your registration will be complete when you submit the form
    online (Polaris Project will not reply to your registration).
  * On-the-day registration will be accepted only when there are
    some vacant seats are available.

<<For more information, please contact:>>
　Polaris Project Japan Office
  Campaign Team
　TEL：050-3496-7615
　E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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*SOS website for girls "Polaris" http://www.pol214.com/

Polaris Project launched a website for at-risk youth for sexual exploitation.
this month. As we review the questions, we feel that we are one of
the very few places for those who are victimized with prostitution
and pornography in Japan.

Today on 28th, many media including Kyodo, Sankei News and Reuters reported
the site release again, as well as many local papers around Japan!
http://jp.reuters.com/article/kyodoNationalNews/idJP2009042701000634  (in Japanese)
(Reuters.co.jp)

Last week, we found the following news reported in the media:
"New Darkness: Runaway website--'Accommodation Men' Target Girls,
Some Detain and Abuse Runaway Girls
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/news/20090425-OYT1T00086.htm
(in Japanese)

Polaris Project would like to send a message that it is okay to ask
for help to girls in trouble.

To do so, we are planning a PR campaign and work with SNS (Social
Networking Website) with heavy traffics of teen and child users.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
* On April 21, Polaris Project spoke on the human trafficking in
Japan at the seminar sponsored by the International Christian
University Rotary Peace Center.

*Booklet "It’s Happening to Her, Right Now" On Sale
http://www.polarisproject.jp/news/42-news/279-book(in Japanese)

*Human Trafficking Related News (in Japanese)
http://www.polarisproject.jp/cases

*Polaris Project in the News (in Japanese)
http://www.polarisproject.jp/aboutus/media

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*Your Supplementary Income Payments will Help Change the Future*
Please donate your Supplementary Income Payments to NPOs
http://www.polarisproject.jp/news/42-news/345-charityplatform
(in Japanese)

You can be a Polaris Supporter with continues monthly donation
starting from 1,000 yen per month.
http://www.polarisproject.jp/donate (in Japanese)
If you join now, the booklet "It’s Happening to Her, Right Now"
will be given as a welcome gift!

Turn your online shopping into actions to support Polaris through
E-Kokoro http://www.ekokoro.jp/ngo/polaris/index.html
(Donation website in Japanese)

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Issued by Polaris Project Japan　http://www.polarisproject.jp
P.O. Box 716, Shibuya Post Office, Tokyo 100-8692
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