2021年2月14日13:00〜14:30「命のビザと現代の難民問題」講演会を開催いたしました。
ゲストは「命のビザ・杉原千畝夫妻顕彰会」代表の松下洋一郎 (僧名宗柏）様。
ナチスドイツによる「ユダヤ人狩り」からリトアニアのカウナスに逃れて来た難民たちに「命のビザ」を発給し6000人の命を救った外交官・杉原千畝と、その千畝の決断を支えた幸子夫人について、さらには現代の難民問題と「歴史から学ぶ」ということについてお話いただきました。
ご参加者いただきました皆様、ありがとうございました。
M様の日記より（ご了承は得ております）：
February 14th, 2021
Today, I attended the Zoom meeting "Visa for Life and the Current Refugee Issues" which was organized by Ms. Matsuzaki. I listened to a talk by a Buddhist priest, Mr. Matsushita, about the great work of Chiune (Sempo) Sugihara. I got to know the historical story that during the Second World War, on the eve of the Nazi invasion of Poland, Chiune Sugihara issued transit visas to Jews fleeing from the neighboring country of Lithuania. I had known this episode, of course, but I was able to have a deeper knowledge, for example, "Why did the Nazi invade Poland?" and "Why is Japan so generous to Jewish people?”.
During the discussion time after the lecture, Mr. Matsushita pointed out that Germany regrets its past mistakes, takes them seriously, and strives to build a better world. I’ve long been impressed by Germany's policy to accept immigrants from early on, so I found his words very convincing.