Eijin NIMURA

Eijin Nimura’s Performance and talk at "Human Festa —Human Rights and Peace Gathering" in Ichikawa City, next to Tokyo, on December 4.

"This event was part of a series of human rights awareness activities held throughout Japan during Human Rights Week, from December 4 to 10 every year, to promote the concept of respect for human rights. The music I played was a selection of pieces that fit the purpose of the gathering, and a sign language interpreter was also present during the talk. As for the content of the talk, I cited the great violoncellist, Pablo Casals, who fled the country in the first half of the 20th century to resist Spanish fascism, which was brought to a dictatorship by Civil War, and never set foot on his homeland again, but instead made a lifelong appeal for peace and freedom in the world through music. In addition, through my 24 years of activities as UNESCO Artist for Peace, including support in conflict zones, disaster areas and dialogue among people with disabilities, that in order to protect human rights, which should be equal, as many people as possible should have mindset to put the happiness of others before their own happiness, in other words, whether we can always put ourselves in others' shoes is crucial, I argued."

On August 1 last, Eijin Nimura was invited as UNESCO Artist for Peace to the official memorial ceremony for the victims of terrorism during the 1972 Munich Olympics, and dedicated a 15-minute condolence performance for the 11 Israeli athletes and their families. This official memorial ceremony, hosted by the Embassy of Israel in Japan and the Olympic Committee of Israel, was attended by the bereaved families of the victims, Tokyo Governor Ms. Koike, IOC President Dr. Bach, President of the Tokyo Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Ms. Hashimoto, and Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Kokuba etc. The ceremony was not only a memorial to the victims, but also appealed for "solidarity of the world against terrorism”. 

Eijin Nimura also stopped by the "Ibasho House: A Communal Place in an Aging Local Community" (built after the earthquake by disaster reconstruction funds provided by the US company Honeywell.), where he interacted with local elderly people and played music for them.

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, our UNESCO Artist for Peace, Eijin Nimura was invited by the Ofunato City to performed at a special memorial service, organised in respect with the sanitary measures in place. 

He played ”Loure” from Partita No. 3 in E major for solo violin, BWV 1006 by Johann Sébastien Bach. His performance was broadcasted on the radio the same evening.