at the Opening of the Japanese Design Exhibition
at the Alliance Ethio-Française on 9 May, 2013

Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Endemen ameshachehu.

           It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you all to the Opening Night of the “Japanese Design Today 100” here at the Alliance Ethio-Française.  I am also delighted and honored to open this exhibition as the first event of the Japanese Cultural Series in Ethiopia for the JFY2013.

In this context, I am most grateful to the Japan Foundation in Tokyo for sponsoring this program.  Without its financial support this exhibition would not have materialized.  My appreciation also goes to the Alliance Ethio-Française for offering its enchanting place as a venue.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

This Design Exhibition is the first of its kind from Japan to be organized in Addis Ababa.  In this beautiful hall, over 100 items are displayed, which represent day-to-day designs of Japan.  From digital cameras to wooden furniture, from rescue boats to intelligent robot dogs, you will see the unique designs of modern Japan and the brief history of the development of industrial design in Japan during the post-war era.

From these designs, we are able to learn the two main features of Japanese design:  simplicity and compactness.  For example, the first thirteen items are the best examples of Japanese product design from the early post-war period.  You can see that from those days, Japanese producers were able to make the world’s smallest gadgets, such as portable radios and TVs.  This trend has influenced modern Japanese manufacturers, leading to inventions like the Sony Walkman and today’s compact digital cameras.

Japanese design takes the concept of “simple is best” very seriously, and some designs, such as the Kikoman soy sauce bottle, have not changed for over 40 years.  They are simple but eloquent and practical designs, and as we refer to “Cool Japan” to express the Japanese pop-culture of today, many designs are also cute and cool, and at times, even  humorous.  In no other country is so much effort spent on the delicate design of an eraser!

           I hope that from this Exhibition, you will feel and understand the simple, charming and comfortable Japanese designs of today.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

           On this occasion, I am pleased to announce that two prominent Japanese experts on traditional design are coming from Japan to complement this exhibition by demonstrating traditional paper folding designs, called Origata.  They will make a presentation and hold a workshop this Saturday here at the Alliance, so please join us then as well.

           Now, without further ado, let’s enjoy the unique and simple designs of Japan! 

Amesegenalehu!