The Japanese ambassador, Mr. Wada Mitsuhiro, held a ceremony at his official home on Wednesday to give the prestigious “Japanese Ambassador’s Commendations” to three outstanding people and groups: Ms. Shirai Mariko, the Lahore Sogetsu Study Group, and the Lahore Bonsai Society. They have made important contributions to strengthening the cultural and traditional links between Pakistan and Japan, and this award is their reward.
The Japanese Ambassador’s Commendations are given to people and groups that have done great things to strengthen the friendship between Japan and the United States. This shows how committed the embassy is to cultural exchange.
Giving Awards to Cultural Ambassadors Ms. Shirai Mariko
As the General Manager of Cox & Kings Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd, Ms. Shirai has been an important link for Japanese tourists coming to Pakistan for a long time. Ambassador Wada praised her involvement in the Japanese community in Islamabad and thanked her for helping to build cultural ties and support the embassy’s projects.
Sogetsu Study Group in Lahore
The Lahore Sogetsu Study Group, which is dedicated to the Japanese art of Ikebana, was praised for using flower designs to spread Japanese culture. Ambassador Wada praised the group for voluntarily putting up Ikebana at important events like the parties for Japan’s Emperor’s Birthday and Self-defence Forces Day. He said he admired how hard they worked to keep and share the beautiful customs of Japan.
Lahore Bonsai Group
The third winner, the Lahore Bonsai Society, was praised for its dedication to Bonsai, a highly regarded Japanese art form. Ambassador Wada talked about how much he appreciated Bonsai and how he hoped to continue working with the group. He also talked about how important Bonsai are to Japan’s cultural events.
A Ceremony to Remember
During the event, Ms. Shirai, Ms. Neveen Syed (President of the Lahore Sogetsu Study Group), and Mr. Mian Umair (President of the Lahore Bonsai Society) were given awards and certificates of appreciation for their outstanding work.
The sincere words of Ambassador Wada made it clear how important culture exchange is for building trust and understanding between Japan and Pakistan. The award ceremony not only recognised the winners’ hard work, but it also strengthened the friendship between the two countries.