June 11-12, 2009, Kumamoto – With a “Gender Free Society” a big issue currently under discussion in Kumamoto, Principal Officer Carrington was invited to speak at Kumamoto Gakuen University on June 11 and Mifune Town on June 12 on the topic of “Realizing Your Dream and Balancing Work and Family.”

The speech at Kumamoto Gakuen University drew more than 110 students from that university and other local institutions, as well as members of the faculty. In her speech, Carrington stressed the importance of believing in yourself and continuing to enhance your skills regardless of your age through continuing education. An active question and answer session on issues related to careers and working families took place after the speech. Similar questions were raised in Mifune, a town near Kumamoto, in an event organized by the Mifune Town Education Board and the Japan-America Society of Kumamoto that attracted 140 people of all ages from the local community. In that speech, Carrington also praised the citizens of Mifune for their efforts in recycling waste and highlighted the Obama Administration’s commitment to environmental protection and addressing climate change.