Ten NGO Leaders Attend the 2014 InterAction Forum
From June 8 – 14, 2014, ten Japanese NGO leaders traveled to Washington, D.C. to partake in the InterAction Forum Study Tour, a component of the TOMODACHI NGO Leadership Program supported by J.P. Morgan. The Japanese contingent attended the 2014 InterAction Forum, an annual convention that brings together leaders from organizations in various fields to advance collaboration and innovation in the private sector. They also met with key leaders from the U.S. NGO sector who respond to disasters in the United States and abroad. Leaders from organizations such as Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) with offices in Washington, D.C. attended this event.
This was the second Study Tour to date, following the inaugural program in 2013. The 2014 InterAction Forum Study Tour proved to be a constructive experience for the Japanese NGO leaders.
Dr. Soichiro Kai, Program Coordinator and Training Officer from Humanitarian Medical Assistance (HuMA), a nonprofit organization offering humanitarian medical relief assistance for victims of disasters worldwide explained, “I studied a lot from NVOAD, FEMA, USAID and InterAction and got in touch with many people. I exchanged opinions about M&E and found there are things that we should do. In addition, I was connected to an NGO named MAP International and found that there is a possibility for cooperation in the field of emergency medical assistance.”
Keiko Kiyama, Co-President of Japan Platform (JPF), an international emergency humanitarian aid organization, focused on issues regarding refugees and natural disasters. Ms. Kiyama gained insight on ways to make her NGO more productive, noting, “What we were exposed to [at the InterAction Forum] varied from the technical issues on humanitarian work to the values [humanitarian] leaders must obtain.” Ms. Kiyama also renewed her motivation for her cause, saying, “[I am] determined to make full use of this experience and try [my] utmost efforts to serve people in need.”
Alumni of the 2013 Tour had similar impressions of the InterAction Forum. Noriyuki Shiina, Secretary General of Japan Platform and a 2013 participant, affirmed that, “The Forum was an opportunity for various stakeholders to meet and exchange ideas. [At InterAction], we learned the importance of advocacy and that we need to raise our voices for a better world.”
