🌿 2nd World Matcha Forum | Guest Speaker Announcement
We are pleased to announce that Ambassador Keiichi Hara,
Director of the Foreign Service Training Institute
at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will join us as a guest speaker
at the 2nd World Matcha Forum to be held on Saturday, October 25, 2025.
Ambassador Hara once had the honor of observing the late Grand Master Sen Genshitsu (Urasenke XV)
preparing tea at the Ministry’s training institute.
He also volunteered for an overseas assignment in Afghanistan, where he was deeply involved in
cultural preservation and peace-related activities amid the challenges of post-conflict society.
Drawing on these valuable experiences, Ambassador Hara will share insights under the theme of
“Culture and Peace” and lead an interactive quiz session featuring episodes from his time abroad.
Ambassador Hara is also a high school classmate of the organizer, Yoko Kinoshita.
Through this forum, we hope that matcha will serve as a bridge for people around the world to connect
and share a common wish for peace and cultural understanding.
🕊️ About the World Matcha Forum
The forum is a charity event to support recovery from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
All proceeds will be donated to the Wajima Lacquerware Restoration Fund
and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
📅 Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025
🕒 Time: 10:00 PM Japan Time / 3:00 PM Switzerland Time
💚 More information and tickets:
https://kimono-club.ch/en/2025/08/29/announcement-2nd-world-matcha-forum/
A video archive will be shared after the event, and donations are sincerely appreciated.
We look forward to seeing you at the forum!
