By Christine de Kock
JOHN Whittington of Williamstown is dedicated to building a relationship between Japan and his community.
The Rotary Club of Footscray recognised Mr Whittington last year with the John Kerr Award for his work with the Hobsons Bay International Friendship Association.
Mr Whittington resigned this year, after 11 years as president, but is still an active member of the association.
The group performs an annual exchange program with Hobsons Bay City council’s Japanese sister city, Anjo, an initiative the council strongly supports.
Mr Whittington was also involved with Bayside City College’s exchange program with Anjo students.
“Programs like this build multicultural awareness,” he said.
“It provides a good insight for our students to be involved with a group of students from another country.”
He believed that the Japanese students appreciated the experience because Melbourne was culturally diverse – much more so than Anjo.
Mr Whittington, as president of the association, travelled to Japan about eight times as a chaperon for groups involved in the exchange program.
He said the Japanese culture fascinated him because it was very different from a western lifestyle.
“I’ve made many friends with the exchange groups we have had come to stay with us over the years.”
Mr Whittington said one Japanese man, who took part in the program, visited him on a second journey simply to establish a Japanese courtyard at his Williamstown home.
“He came for three days with his daughter as an interpreter, and then left.”
Mr Whittington was nominated for last year’s award for being enthusiastic and embracing the exchange program.
“An unassuming yet confident person, he seeks neither recognition nor self-aggrandisement but attends to the administration of the association in a most efficient way,” his nominators stated.
The Rotary Club of Footscray is calling for nominations for the John Kerr Award from people across the western suburbs.
The awards are available to anyone who is an example of “service above self”, and nominations will close on 7 December.
A nomination form will appear in next week’s Star.
