2003

Wednesday 10th September 2003
Japanese Peace Garden for Mayfield's St Columban's Primary School
A Japanese peace garden dedicated to the promotion of understanding and goodwill between the peoples of Australia and Japan will be officially opened and blessed during a ceremony tomorrow morning 11th September, 10:00 am at St Columban's Primary School Mayfield.

According to the school's principal, Mr Michael Doyle, "it's appropriate that the St Columban's Japanese Peace Garden is being opened during Education Week."

"The primary aim of the garden is to develop a learning space that would provide an introduction to Japanese culture and enrich the experience of the school community," Mr Doyle said.

And the reason the school has decided to establish a Japanese garden is because Japanese is one of two foreign languages taught in the school - the other being Italian.

Special guests at the ceremony include the Japanese Vice-Consul General, Ms Pomoko Inujima, Department of Cultural Affairs, NSW; Professor Laurie Short, President of the Australia-Japan Society in Newcastle; and representatives from the Catholic Schools Office, Newcastle.

Professor Short and representatives of Newcastle's Australia-Japan Society have been instrumental in the development of the garden.

Local gardening expert Mrs Helen Whalan has also been a consultant in the establishment of the garden.

Planning for the garden commenced in February this year. At the end of April the proposal was referred to a group of Japanese gardeners in Suita, Japan.

"After preparing a model from the plan", says Mr Doyle, "these professional gardeners declared: 'in five years, this garden would be very good!'"

The NSW Environmental Protection Authority under its ECO Schools Grants Program granted funding of $1500 for the development of the garden in 2002.

St Columban's Primary School is located at Church Street Mayfield. The ceremony begins at 10:00 am. All media are welcome to attend.

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