President’s Message

I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO THANK ALL OUR MEMBERS who have provided valuable support and much-needed help that made our work throughout the year easier. The Club is a collective body, and as in any other collective setup, the work of management and policy-making is much more difficult without the support of the larger group.

I must say that the support we’ve received all year from all groups among our membership was indeed a great help to us in continuing our effort of overcoming the difficulties we’ve been facing. The Club recently experienced what could be described as one of its worst-ever periods, and we hope that 2010 will be much better for all of us. The financial results for the last couple of months of 2009, as well as prospects for January and February, permit a certain degree of optimism.

Our Board is now halfway through its tenure, and it’s a great pleasure for me to see that all our sincere efforts are bringing some desired results. The December GMM approved a number of important resolutions that should help the Club strengthen its functioning in various ways. There was a long discussion concerning the possibility of increasing membership dues. Taking into consideration the important factor that any decision to increase membership dues in any form could have a far-reaching impact on our membership, the meeting eventually decided to call a special GMM at the end of January to discuss the matter in detail.

As well as our regular events and activities, in December we organized a memorial gathering for members who have passed away during the last six months. We lost eight of our friends and colleagues in that period, and saying good-bye to all of them at one event was something that I personally didn’t feel comfortable arranging. There were also others on the Board and outside who had similar reservations. But as we were fully booked for the month, we had no other choice but to go ahead with the plan. Deferring part of the event would have meant arranging another memorial in 2010.

Nevertheless, I must say the memorial event turned out to be a solemn remembrance of those who, in their association with the Club, had taken the place to their heart. One of those we remembered was Vivienne Kenrick, a life member and a well-known personality in the media world of Japan. Vivienne’s daughter, Miranda, was among the guests, and she later sent a letter of thanks to the Club. I feel it’s worth quoting what she wrote about the event:

“I had been a bit apprehensive that it might be emotional, but it really was a ‘celebration of life’ rather than a mournful event.”

Yes, we always remember those whose contribution has made the Club what it is, and celebrating their lives is probably the most fitting tribute that we could offer them.

Also in December, I was informed about a planned gathering of some former Club members in New York in March. It’s really pleasing to see that members who were once closely associated with the Club during their assignment in Tokyo still remember fondly the days they spent in the workroom, library, at the restaurant, main bar or in other facilities. The activities of FCCJ alumni in New York remind us of the brighter side of the Club, which we often forget while we’re on the premises. I’m sure many of our existing members, too, will start missing the atmosphere that our unique setup offers once they leave Japan or retire.

We also have arranged two separate roundtables in December with two different groups of visiting journalists from Africa and the Middle and Near East. Both the events enabled Club members to share opinions with media representatives from countries as different as Afghanistan and Zambia. The second round table, attended by Arab and Afghan journalists, was joined by members representing four different continents – a fitting tribute to the ideal of international understanding that we hold so dearly.

Last year was not a very encouraging year for journalists. A record number of 68 media workers were gunned down in various parts of the world in 2009, and many of those were assassinated in one particular region of the Philippines. This high death toll not only shows how vulnerable the work of journalism is; it also underscores the need to be courageous in a profession that is so demanding. As we remember all our fallen colleagues in various parts of the world, we do hope that a better working atmosphere will prevail in the Year of the Tiger. Let’s hope for a better 2010, for us in our profession and also for the world.

– Monzurul Huq