On December 11, the opening ceremony of the new Tenri Cultural Institute of New York was held with Director-in-Chief of Administrative Affairs Masahiko Iburi and more than 400 guests and followers in attendance.
The institute was originally established in the Soho district of Manhattan in 1991 for the purpose of promoting the external activities of Tenrikyo New York Center. Ever since, it has run a Japanese school as its major activity and has also organized various events such as art exhibitions and performances of Japanese and Western music and dance. At the expiration of the 10-year lease on the original site, the institute bought its new place in Greenwich Village and relocated there last year.
The opening ceremony started with Executive Director Toshihiko Okui presenting architects and the general contractor with a bouquet of flowers in acknowledgment of their work. Then, Rev. Iburi delivered words of appreciation to all those who contributed to the institute during the past ten years. After asking for everyone’s support for the new institute, he expressed his hope that the institute would be able to build on its past experience to implement even more enriched Japanese education and cultural programs as well as offer activities that would enable people in New York to learn more deeply about Tenrikyo, which aims at the realization of the Joyous Life throughout the world.
In commemoration of the opening of the new Tenri Cultural Institute of New York, an exhibition was also held, and the activities of the institute and the teachings of Tenrikyo were introduced by panels, photos, teaching materials, and works created by the Japanese school students.