Support Know no Barriers

The Nippon Foundation's long-standing record of partnering with non-profit organizations, non-government organizations, and international organizations around the globe is significant and laudable. Grant assistance in selected programs and projects amounts to over $300 million annually, supporting institutions such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Partnership for Observations of the Global Oceans (POGO). The Nippon Foundation initiatives provide support for human resources projects in particular, aimed at improving the social, cultural, and economic well-being of developing countries. The The NF-POGO Centre of Excellence (CofE) established at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) is one such project. As oceanography moves further into the foreground of science through increased interest in global change, the goal of the project - to advance international networking in ocean sciences, with an emphasis on training scientists from developing countries - fits well with the priorities of the Nippon Foundation.

The Nippon Foundation was originally established in 1962 as a private charity in Tokyo, Japan, with an emphasis on preventing marine hazards while promoting shipbuilding. The Foundation is currently chaired by Mr. Yohei Sasakawa who also serves as a World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador. The mission has evolved over the years, and now the Foundation focuses primarily on four areas: overseas cooperative assistance; maritime development; domestic social welfare; and volunteer support.

For nearly half a century the Foundation has provided support in solving the world's medical and environmental problems, specifically providing aid for refugees, support for education programs, assistance for famine relief, and pharmaceutical and medical equipment. The Foundation's interests include international efforts to eradicate small pox, leprosy, drug addiction and AIDS, with projects funded in over 120 countries around the world.

In 1982 - in partnership with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), - the Nippon Foundation established the UNEP Sasakawa Prize, honoring outstanding achievement in environmental thought and action. The goal of the award is to nurture innovation, research, initiatives and ideas by providing financial assistance to enhance concerns of environmental issues around the world. A theme is established each year; 2008 will focus on carbon neutrality and climate change.

POGO was honored to enter into partnership with the Nippon Foundation for the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Observational Oceanography, building on the Visiting Professorship Programme which was run very successfully for three years: "Addressing global-scale issues related to the oceans is a huge task that can only be achieved in partnership with many communities. The support by the Nippon Foundation of the efforts by POGO to enhance ocean observation capacity in developing countries is a major milestone", says Shubha Sathyendranath, who is in charge of POGO's capacity building efforts. The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) has a long and rich history of attracting international scientists, and was proud to be selected to host the centre.

"We hope that BIOS will become a focal point for human capacity building in international oceanography, and that the NF-POGO Scholars educated here at the Institute will then train the next generation of scientists in their regions," said President and Director of BIOS, Dr. Tony Knap.

BIOS has an unprecedented record of monitoring the carbon cycle in our oceans, with the longest dataset of ocean observations available anywhere in the world. The establishment of the Centre of Excellence will help to improve the world's ability to monitor the carbon cycle, by training scientists from around the globe - especially those from the southern hemisphere, where two thirds of our oceans are located. The establishment of the Centre of Excellence comes at a critical juncture as developing countries have recently experienced impressive academic growth; BIOS provides the complementary field experience needed to round out 'the scientists' training. At BIOS we applaud the Nippon Foundation for its vision and commitment to research and education, enabling us to go some way to achieving a better understanding of the ocean that makes up 70% of the earth's surface.