行事 / EVENT

5月17日（土）、大阪万博のカナダ・ナショナルディにカナダ代表団（日本ではなく）の一員として日加協会会長の名目で石川夫妻が招かれました。

当日の出席者は、 ローリー・ピーターズカナダ政府代表、マッケイ大使ご夫妻、伊藤良孝万博担当大臣、土屋品子日加友好議連会長、同議連メンバーの鈴木貴子議員・藤井一博参議院議員、石田優子在広島カナダ名誉領事（広島経済大学学長）、貫正義在福岡カナダ名誉領事（九州電力相談役）、日加協会会員の川村様ほかの方々でした。 多くの「friends of Canada」が式典に招かれていました。　また、カナダから投資誘致チームの経済人もいらしていました。

式典は両国国歌斉唱（私もカナダ国歌を歌いSolidarityを示しました）、伊藤大臣、ローリー・ピーターズ代表、マッケイ大使のスピーチ、音楽演奏（ファースト・ネーションの踊り、プリンスエドワード出身のバント演奏など多数）などでした。

式典後に、カナダ館を訪問。テレビ報道でご覧になった方もいらっしゃるかと思いますが、ハンディ・パネルを持って館内を回ると　カナダ各地の様子が次々と画面に浮かび上がり、大変印象的でした。

その後一行は日本館を訪問、生物由来プラスチックなど自然との共生がテーマでした。

夕方にも一般公開の音楽会があり、大勢の観客がいらして盛況でした。

（出席報告：石川薫日加協会会長）

Attendance Report by Kaoru Ishikawa, President of the Japan-Canada Society

On Saturday, May 17, Mr. and Mrs. Ishikawa were invited to attend the Canada National Day at Expo 2025 Osaka as part of the Canadian delegation (not the Japanese delegation), in their capacity representing the Japan-Canada Society.

The distinguished guests in attendance included: Ms. Laurie Peters, Representative of the Government of Canada, Ambassador Ian McKay and Mrs. McKay, Mr. Yoshitaka Itō, Minister in charge of Expo, Ms. Shinako Tsuchiya, Chair of the Japan-Canada Parliamentary Friendship League, Members of the League, including Ms. Takako Suzuki and Mr. Kazuhiro Fujii (House of Councillors), Dr. Yuko Ishida, Honorary Consul of Canada in Hiroshima and President of Hiroshima University of Economics, Mr. Masayoshi Nuki, Honorary Consul of Canada in Fukuoka and Senior Advisor at Kyushu Electric, Mr. Kawamura, member of the Japan-Canada Society, among other esteemed guests.

Many "Friends of Canada" were also invited to the ceremony. In addition, a delegation of Canadian business leaders involved in investment promotion was present.

The ceremony featured performances of both the Canadian and Japanese national anthems (I personally sang the Canadian anthem to express solidarity), followed by speeches from Minister Itō, Representative of Government of Canada Laurie Peters, and Ambassador Ian McKay. Musical performances included a traditional First Nations dance and a band from Prince Edward Island, among other acts.

Following the ceremony, we toured the Canada Pavilion. As some may have seen in television coverage, the exhibit left a strong impression: visitors carry a hand-held panel that projects immersive scenes from various regions across Canada as they move through the space.

The delegation later visited the Japan Pavilion, which focused on themes of harmony with nature, including innovations such as bio-based plastics.

In the evening, a public concert was held, attracting a large and enthusiastic audience.

(By Kaoru Ishikawa, President of the Japan-Canada Society)

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