Activities for "Nurturing Children's Hearts" -- 2025 Awards Ceremony and the 20th Anniversary "Connecting Hearts Festival" Held－
On February 6, the Panasonic Education Foundation hosted the 2025 Activities for "Nurturing Children's Hearts" awards ceremony and the "Connecting Hearts Festival," an event gathering past award-winning organizations, in Tokyo.
Group photo of participants
The Activities for "Nurturing Children's Hearts" is an initiative in which the General Forum for Nurturing Children's Hearts--composed of ten leading experts in the fields of social education and welfare--selects particularly unique initiatives from submissions across Japan, recognizes them, and widely shares their value nationwide.
This year's National Grand Prize was awarded to the nonprofit organization Kazenoie (Hiroshima Prefecture) for its project titled "Responding with Support to the Struggles of Youth Delinquency." The initiative supports young people who face difficulties reintegrating into society after leaving juvenile detention centers.
Forum Chairman Mr. Washida presenting the National Grand Prize to the representative of Kazenoie
It was highly praised for its approach of addressing the psychological struggles underlying delinquency and problematic behavior through understanding and support via "response."
Additionally, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the General Forum for Nurturing Children's Hearts, the Connecting Hearts Festival--First Reunion, was held alongside the awards ceremony. A total of 79 participants from 29 organizations attended the event, engaging in joint presentations with forum members and interactive programs to encourage exchange among organizations. Participants commented that the opportunity to connect with other organizations was extremely meaningful, and the event concluded with great success.
Joint presentation with forum members
Participants enjoying games to encourage exchange
Group discussion
