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Pen Friend Clubs of Japan 青少年ペンフレンドクラブ

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Pen Friend Clubs of Japan 青少年ペンフレンドクラブ

History

1949

The opening ceremony
The opening ceremony

The first national convention
The first national convention

Established the travel club with mail

Yubin Tomonokai, the former name of Pen Friend Clubs of Japan, was established based on the travel club by mail which was organized by the Nagoya Post and Telegraphic Office in 1949. Even in the chaos of postwar Japan, junior high school students who participated in the club traced the delivery route of one postcard from the original mailing point to its destination using railways and automobiles. And they realized that the Japanese mail service had already recovered from the war, and held great hope that “we can communicate with friends in various countries, as well as in Japan, through letters.”

And then, the opening ceremony was held in Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya, and the first national convention of Yubin Tomonokai was held in the main auditorium of Nihon University in Tokyo. In this way, the activities of the club spread all over Japan.

1950

Began corresponding and visiting facilities with compassion

Began corresponding and visiting facilities with compassion

Began corresponding and visiting facilities with compassion

Many activities, such as publishing the official News of Yubin Tomonokai, for information exchange among members, movements for promoting peace, and heartwarming communications through correspondences, were carried out from 1950.

1952

Started a movement to send letters with compassion to prisoners in foreign countries

Started a movement to send letters with compassion to prisoners in foreign countries

Started family-like correspondences between students and the crews of ocean liners

Started family-like correspondences between students and the crews of ocean liners

1953

Visited children in under-populated areas

Visited children in under-populated areas

1954

The national correspondence discussion

The national correspondence discussion

1956

Invited high school students in occupied Okinawa to the main islands and sent members to occupied Okinawa

Invited high school students in occupied Okinawa to the main islands and sent members to occupied Okinawa

Sent messages of peace to young people around the world

Sent messages of peace to young people around the world

The representative of the Italian branch came to Japan

The representative of the Italian branch came to Japan

Started a movement to unite the world with flowers

Started a movement to unite the world with flowers

1957

Started a movement against nuclear weapons

Started a movement against nuclear weapons

1959

Started a movement to host the Olympics in Tokyo

Started a movement to host the Olympics in Tokyo

Started a movement to send books to Japanese immigrants overseas

Started a movement to send books to Japanese immigrants overseas

1962

Started a movement to nurture youth friendships through correspondence

Started a movement to nurture youth friendships through correspondence

1964

Started a movement to send recorded tapes to the visually impaired

Started a movement to send recorded tapes to the visually impaired

Started a movement to collect used stamps to save Nepalese from tuberculosis

Started a movement to collect used stamps to save Nepalese from tuberculosis

1967

Started a movement to tell friends around the world about the Japan World Exposition 70

Started a movement to tell friends around the world about the Japan World Exposition 70