On Monday, December 22, the Aizu Sakura Lanka Society (Representative Marii Igarashi *1), a Herath Foundation affiliate, visited UoA to present international students with gifts of Aizu-grown rice.

Food costs are one of the biggest financial burdens for international students studying in Japan. The Aizu Sakura Lanka Society has continued providing gifts of rice to our international students since 2001, hoping that they could "eat delicious Aizu rice and grow to love the region." This year, nine 30kg bags of rice were presented to international students. The rice will be provided to the international students through the Support Association for International Students of the University of Aizu (SAISUA *2). The Sakura Lanka is also supporting our international students in many ways.

On the day, Society Representative Igarashi and providers of rice visited UoA. Representative Igarashi said, "Our society has been continuing support to international students since we learned that Japan's rice prices are very high. I hope that more people in the region will know that many international students are studying at UoA. We are very happy that students from different countries will enjoy eating Aizu rice."

Administrative Office Director General Noriyuki Saito and Associate Professor Kim Rockell (*3 the head of SAISUA) and four international students were also in attendance. Director General Saito thanked for Sakura Lanka's support and said, "UoA has been selected for the FY 2014 Top Global University Project for the Creation of Centers of Globalization.(*4) Thanks to warm support from people in the region, we can keep on going forward." Associate Professor Rockell gave his thanks and said, "Our international students are thankful for the gift and unwavering support. We are looking forward to deepening our exchanges with the people of Aizu and Fukushima."

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*1　The Aizu Sakura Lanka Society was established as an NPO in 1993 with the objective of sponsoring high school students in Sri Lanka who could not afford an education, holding international exchanges, and doing whatever possible to support Sri Lanka. The society is actively supporting the UoA's Sri Lankan graduate students.
*2　The Support Association for International Students of the University of Aizu (SAISUA) was founded in 2004 with the objective of providing both material and psychological support to international students studying at the University of Aizu. It is funded by the donations of UoA faculty and staff, Fukushima prefectural employees, labor unions, the Aizu Association for Industry-Academic Cooperation, and the people of the Aizu region. Its primary activity is providing scholarships and holding international exchanges both inside and outside the university with the people of the region.
*3　Associate Professor Kim Rockell
*4　Details of UoA's being selected for the Top Global University Project are published in the following web articles:
UoA web news: UoA Selected for the MEXT 2014 "Top Global University Project"
Our Approach for "Top Global University Project"

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