Mr. Jactat is a representative of E-Friends, a group of children, students, and adults in Kumamoto. Since it was founded in 1996, various projects have been developed through this group.

Most projects are done through the Internet. In 1996, the first program was a computer drawing e-mail project among children at the Kumamoto YMCA, a school in Sarajevo (Bosnia), and two schools in Seattle and Phoenix (USA). Children express themselves - for example, about their families and experiences - through their drawings. Children are able to understand each other's cultures by sharing about themselves through the project. Moreover, such a project serves as a way to become interested in and start learning foreign languages.

On the basis of that first experience, the Worldraw project started this year, which provides elementary school students with the opportunity of making friends in various countries. They learn about each other's cultures by exchanging drawings through e-mail during computer club hours or special classes.

Mr. Jactat sees the development of international understanding and world peace through education as one of his goals in life. Also E-Friends is considering spreading the development of international relationships by means of the Internet -and through projects such as Worldraw -to more schools and educational institutions, and suggesting it to the Ministry of Education as an "integrated education" program. E-Friends are seeking volunteers who can help children with the exchanges and schools who want to join the Worldraw project.

(English translation by Ms NARUKAMI Yoshiko)