Speech for the reception - Jan 27, 2005 -

Speech for the reception - Jan 27, 2005 -

Kazuo OIKE

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Good evening ladies and gentlemen. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this reception for the 5th Kyoto University International Symposium in Singapore.

I would like to express my profound appreciation to the National University of Singapore and Agency for Science, Technology and Research, A*STAR, Singapore for their kind cooperation, their warm hospitality, and for the magnificent preparations - one has only to look at the extraordinary meeting place -- and their commitment to making our symposium a success.

Thank you, Professor Yonehara, Chairman of Kyoto University. Thank you professor Halliwell, Chairman of Singapore representatives, for your leadership at this symposium. I wish also to thank our colleagues from Kyoto University, colleagues from the National University of Singapore and Agency for Science, Technology and Research, A*STAR, Singapore, for working together to make this Symposium so productive.

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Sixty years ago, Singapore gained its independence. During the World War II thousands of civilians died in Singapore. We never forget unfortunate history. From that time on word, great strides have been made. Today, many researchers from Kyoto and Singapore have joined together in mutual respect.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me conclude by urging all of you, especially all of the young researchers gathered here today to remember this occasion. Together, here in Singapore, we are going to create a new kind of collaboration in both research and education between life science programs at Kyoto University and the National University of Singapore. We look forward to fresh new relations between our two countries.

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There is no doubt in my mind that our future research will become more interdependent and mutually beneficial.

Thank you.