Means for Achievement the Targets of the Centre

* Co-operation in setting up a scheme for the exchange of knowledge and information between Bulgarian, Japanese, and other institutes and NGO’s concerned with the awareness of cultural heritages;

* Establishing Network for disseminating the ideas of the Centre and the results of its work. The practically unlimited resources of digital space offer a unique possibility for making people acquainted with the cultural heritages of different part of the world, both from a professional and a human point of view. The virtual recreation of a cultural heritage should not be found in the production of replicas and copies, but in revealing the true value of its artefacts and other achievements of the human spirit;

* Publication of proceedings of meetings and workshops dedicated to preserving and disseminating a cultural heritage;

* Translation and research concerned with a cultural heritage and with manuscripts and cultural texts representative of given societies and religions;

* Creation of a Web-site with current information;

* Establishment of a fund to finance publications, research and albums for the cultural heritages of the Balkans.

The Centre's Activities

* To organize schools, summer schools and classes for children and school boys and schoolgirls from the Gymnasiums of Arts;

* To organize competitions and arrange grants for gifted school-children and students who have already made their marks in fields of artistic creativity: fine and applied arts, the humanities, and music;

* To organize competitions and support research and other kinds of projects and activities offered by young researchers in connection with both the cultural recreation and rediscovery of the Silk Road, and the exchange of cultural knowledge between different societies;

* To organize workshops and discussions in connection with the differences and the unifying moments between different religious doctrines and their impact in the present world, and also their influence over the works and monuments of art in the corresponding cultural regions;

* To organize workshops and other activities on peace and peace movements, and on preserving the cultural heritages of regions hard hit by damaging social conflicts and wars, especially in the Balkans;

* To establish permanent working group from representatives of the countries in the Balkan peninsula on problems of cultural heritage and its popularization, with a view to optimizing the information exchange and improving the organization of collaboration between different state institutions, NGO’s and benefactors;

* To organize joint exhibitions and other activities concerning the dissemination of the art and culture of communities and countries linked by the Silk Road, and the rediscovery of the spiritual and cultural importance of the Road;

* To contribute to UNESCO Inclusive Education in creating an “Animated” Digital Map of cultural heritage of the Balkans and South-East Europe, and corresponding database of information through enlivening it by establishing corresponding school and university initiatives.

The Centre's Targets

* To preserve and popularize cultural heritages of the Balkan peninsula, where they are exposed to the destructive impact of natural and social factors because of a lack of the finance needed to protect them. In this part of world there exist unique architectural and art complexes connected with the tradition of Orthodox Christianity, which, with few exceptions, are not known and valued enough across the world;

* To create conditions for the manifestation and development of the artistic and scientific gifts of schoolboys and schoolgirls, students and young researchers, and for the support of their artistic and scientific work in a context of understanding, tolerance and harmony;

* To use the possibilities of digital technology to popularize a cultural heritage and make it freely accessible to distant societies and regions. To develop a digital network of cultural heritage for use by and for academics and students, and people broadly aware of such matters.

The Centre

The main purpose of the Centre “Ikuo Hirayama” is to deepen contacts and interactions between communities and individuals: people concerned with the arts, scholars and professional people, students and children from Japan and Bulgaria. Japan and Bulgaria are one of the most easterly, and one of the most westerly countries of the Silk Road. On the brink of the Third Millennium and in the context of global processes bringing anxiety and real danger for the future of humanity, the mutual opening and exploration of different cultures and cultural values in an atmosphere of tolerance and respect is a necessary process for the attainment and preservation of world peace.

The Centre “Ikuo Hirayama” in Sofia will be a symbolic lighthouse sited at one of the European points of the Silk Road, rediscovered through Ikuo Hirayama’s paintings. It will disseminate some basic ideas of his conception For World Peace through “The Red Cross Spirit for Cultural Heritage”. Following these ideas, a new initiative, Schools for Arts and Cultural Dialog “Ikuo Hirayama” in Bulgaria in unison with UNESCO Inclusive Education, is in a process of developing in Bulgaria, and later going to expand across the Balkans. It will express Ikuo Hirayama’s message for preserving the cultural heritage of peoples and making them better known, and for peace and non-violence among people with different religious beliefs through the power of knowledge, soul and cultural development and refinement, and mutual enrichment.

The Bulgarian Presidency has approved and undertaken to support the founding and activities of the Centre “Ikuo Hirayama”, mentioned especially by the Bulgarian President in his message delivered at the opening ceremony of Professor Ikuo Hirayama’s exhibition “Cultural Exchange between East and West”, Sofia – 2003, and published in the Exhibition Catalogue.

About Centre "Ikuo Hirayama"

* The Centre “Ikuo Hirayama” in Sofia, Bulgaria succeeded the Organizing Committee “Ikuo Hirayama” established in January 2003 for organizing the First Exhibition of Professor Ikuo Hirayama “Cultural Exchange between East and West”, held in Sofia National Gallery of Foreign Arts in May-June 2003, under the Patronage of the Bulgarian President, Mr. Georgi Parvanov”.

* In May 2002 Professor Donka Angelova visited the Hirayama Ikuo Museum of Art at the Japanese Seto-Naikai island, Setoda-cho, the birthplace of Professor Ikuo Hirayama. There she met the Director of the Museum, Mr. Yoshio Hirayama who was the older brother of Professor Ikuo Hirayama.

That Meeting became the symbolical birth of the Centre “Ikuo Hirayama”, established later in Sofia, Bulgaria, and Setoda-cho – its birthplace.

* In May 2003 Professor Ikuo Hirayama came to Sofia, Bulgaria for the opening of his exhibition. He was accompanied by his brother, Mr. Yoshio Hirayama and his wife, Mrs. Michico Hirayama.

During his visit in Bulgaria Professor Ikuo Hirayama had:

· Meeting with the President of Bulgaria;

· Meeting with the Minister of Culture;

· Meeting with the Rector of Sofia University “Kl. Ohridski”, where gave a lecture about his Mission of preserving cultural heritage and world peace, and about his extraordinary life and outstanding achievements in Fine Arts. The honorary degree Doctor Honoris Causa of Sofia University “Kl. Ohridski” was conferred on Professor Ikuo Hirayama;

· Meeting with the Director of the Centre of Eastern Cultures and Languages at the Sofia University “Kl. Ohridski”;

· Meeting with the Rector of the Bulgarian Academy of Fine Arts and Academicians-Contemporary Bulgarian painters, visiting the different Faculties and Ateliers of the Academy;

· Meeting with the Director and the young painters from the Gymnasiums of Fine Arts in Sofia, where he opened the Children Festival of painting “My message for Peace” held at the same time in the Gymnasiums of Fine Arts in Sofia and the Gymnasiums of Fine Arts in Kazanluk. The prize-won paintings from both Gymnasiums were exhibited in Tokyo and Hiroshima after the arrangements made by Professor Ikuo Hirayama;

· Meeting with representatives of Cultural Society in Kazanluk and giving a speech to them. Also he visited the Exhibition of the modern Bulgarian painter Nikola Manev and The Festival of the Bulgarian Rose in the Rose Valley near Kazanluk;

As UNESCO Ambassador of Good Will, Professor Ikuo Hirayama visited ones of the most valuable cultural heritages in Bulgaria:

· Thracian Tomb in Kazanluk Valley;

· Old Town in Plovdiv, followed by rising some UNESCO Funds for its restoration;

· Rila Monastery;

· National Historical and Archeological Museums in Sofia and the Medieval Icon Treasury of Sofia Cathedral “Aleksander Nevski”;

* The Exhibition and visit of Professor Ikuo Hirayama were organized with the kind co-operation of the Japanese Embassy in Sofia.

* In October 2005 an Exposition of posters The Japanese Painter Ikuo Hirayama: A Transformation of Atomic Bomb Tragedy in Hiroshima into a Mission of Preserving Cultural Heritage and World Peace was held during the Days of the Japanese Culture in the Bulgarian National Philharmonic Hall “Bulgaria”, dedicated to the 75th Anniversary of Ikuo Hirayama. The Exposition was opened by His Excellency, the Japanese Ambassador to Bulgaria, and Professor Donka Angelova, Head of The Organizing Committee “Ikuo Hirayama”.

The Exposition was organized with the kind co-operation of the Japanese Embassy in Sofia.

* In May 2006 Professor Ikuo Hirayama invited Professor Donka Angelova to Kamakura, Tokyo for some talks about the Bulgarian Initiative for institutionalization of The Organizing Committee “Ikuo Hirayama” as an NGO named “Centre Ikuo Hirayama”.

Professor Angelova visited Ikuo Hirayama’s Foundation of Cultural Heritage and Institute “The Silk Road”, Tokyo National Academy of Fine Arts and Music, under the Presidency of Professor Ikuo Hirayama, and Hirayama Ikuo Silk Road Museum at Hokuto City, near Tokyo, the Yakushi-ji Temple, around Nara, with the famous fresco-paintings by Master Ikuo Hirayama.

* After the Meeting between Professor Ikuo Hirayama and Professor Donka Angelova in Kamakura, Tokyo, some organization activity in Bulgaria took place, including many meetings between The Organizing Committee “Ikuo Hirayama” and the followers of Professor Ikuo Hirayama’s Mission For World Peace through “The Red Cross Spirit for Cultural Heritage”. Among those followers were representatives of Sofia School “Vasil Zlatarski”, Gymnasiums of Fine Arts in Sofia and Kazanluk, The National Academy of Fine Arts, The Centre for Eastern Languages and Cultures at Sofia University “Kliment Ohridski”, The Archeological Institute of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

* In January-April 2009 The Centre “Ikuo Hirayama” had some discussions with Professor Ikuo Hirayama about his next Exhibition in Sofia, Bulgaria and the Centre Activities stressing on establishment of Schools for Arts and Cultural Dialog “Ikuo Hirayama” in Bulgaria, opened to children and students from Bulgaria and Japan on exchange base.

* Now, Professor Ikuo Hirayama is the Honorary President of the Centre “Ikuo Hirayama” and Mr. Yoshio Hirayama – its Honorary Member.

The Centre's Mission

The Centre “Ikuo Hirayama” is established in Sofia, Bulgaria in April, 2009.

Mission of the Centre “Ikuo Hirayama” is to spread in Bulgaria, and especially among young generation, the idea of Preserving Cultural Heritage and Balkan and World Peace after the Movement For World Peace through “The Red Cross Spirit for Cultural Heritage”, established officially by Professor Ikuo Hirayama in Japan during the 80-thies of the 20-th century. The Centre “Ikuo Hirayama” develops art of making contacts between Bulgarian and Japanese Schools in learning about National Cultural Heritage and representing it, each side to the other one, through children’s eyes and different art forms.

The first School for Arts and Cultural Dialog “Ikuo Hirayama” in Bulgaria, starts on 15 October 2009. It is devoted to the idea of Preserving Cultural Heritage and Balkan and World Peace, and based on Sofia School “Vasil Zlatarski” and its Club of Japanese Friends, established in 2004.

The Japanese great public figure and painter, the UNESCO Ambassador of Goodwill Professor Ikuo Hirayama is Honorary President of the Centre “Ikuo Hirayama”. He has traveled and rediscovered The Silk Road in hundreds of his paintings, and spread his Mission For World Peace through “The Red Cross Spirit for Cultural Heritage” along it. And The Silk Road has gradually turned into a symbol of Ikuo Hirayama’s Mission, as it has always been: the means, real and symbolic, by which for many centuries East and West not only traded in silk and other precious goods, but exchanged religious and philosophical ideas and styles of art in the very special art of living together.