We Attended the GIVE Machine Launch Event!
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Ribbon-cutting at the GIVE Machine launch event held on November 27.
From left: Edward Ray, Chair of the GIVE Machine Project Executive Committee; Mr. Hajime Yasue, Director of Partnership Promotion at the Japanese Red Cross Society; Mr. Yoshimasa Shoji, Deputy Secretary General of the World Fellowship of Buddhists and Chair of its Humanitarian Committee; J. Kimo Esplin, President of the Asia North Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Mr. Yuji Shibata, CEO of Second Harvest Japan; and John Dorf, Chair of the National Communication Committee of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan.
On November 27, a launch event was held to officially unveil the first GIVE Machine in Japan.
The venue was OOTEMORI on the B2 floor of Otemachi Tower, where the GIVE Machine is installed.
Representatives from the charity organizations partnering with the GIVE Machine this year attended, along with guests from a wide range of organizations and companies who resonated with the goal of helping people in need. Representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which provides the machines, were also present with their families, as were members of the press and many visitors. The venue was full of energy throughout the event.
Guest speaker Mr. Yoshimasa Shoji, Deputy Secretary General of the World Fellowship of Buddhists and Chair of its Humanitarian Committee, spoke about hearing that very morning that around two million people had been affected by flooding in southern Thailand. Referring to the difficult situations unfolding around the world every day, he said that although each person's contribution may seem small, combining those efforts can create a great force capable of helping people who are suffering right now. He explained that this conviction led him to support the GIVE Machine.
Next, speaking on behalf of the charity organizations, Mr. Mitsuya Kodama, Executive Director of CARE International Japan, introduced the organization's vision of creating a world without poverty where all people can live with dignity. He emphasized that for people to see social issues as their own and work together toward solutions, it is essential for a culture of giving to take root. He spoke about the importance of making donations easier and more familiar, and of carefully connecting people to the reality that a donation can truly change someone's life. He described the GIVE Machine as a device that opens a new door to donation culture and praised it as an innovative way to make giving both easy and memorable.
J. Kimo Esplin, President of the Asia North Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also spoke as a representative of the supporting organizations. He said that this year's GIVE Machine would not have been possible without the cooperation and partnership of the five charity organizations involved. He also expressed gratitude to Tokyo Tatemono and the many others who supported the effort, including by providing the venue. Through the GIVE Machine, which embodies the true spirit of Christmas by encouraging people to give, he expressed his hope that everyone involved would feel warmth and joy, and invited all present to help brighten the world together.
For the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mr. Yoshimasa Shoji, Mr. Hajime Yasue, Mr. Yuji Shibata, John Dorf, J. Kimo Esplin, and Edward Ray stood together after the speeches.
As the ribbon was cut, the GIVE Machine behind them lit up, and it was striking to see everyone exchanging smiles and handshakes afterward. It was a symbolic moment that suggested the potential of this new donation machine, the GIVE Machine, to become a powerful way to help people across differences in religion, belief, and social position.
We also created a highlight video of the event.
Please take a look below.