Omoiyari Version 2015-02

JCI Mission:
“To provide development opportunities that empower young people to create
positive change.”
WHAT IS

Omoiyari?
Japanese
concept and
philosophy
 Omoi
consideration for others

yari
sending something to others
Omoiyari
is the sensitivity to imagine
another person’s feelings,
anticipate and act on their
needs.
Objectives
 Certification

!  Register online

!  Participate

!  Complete evaluation and pass the

knowledge test. Available 4 days after report,
for 60 days.
Course material can be
downloaded from www.jci.cc/
training after test.
Three Main Concepts of Omoiyari

Compassion

Mutual understanding

Action
 Compassion

Instead of differences, try to

find what we have in
common!
Compassion is more than
empathy…

It is the desire to alleviate

or reduce other’s
suffering!
If you want others to be
happy, practice
compassion…
If you want to be happy,
practice compassion.
Dalai Lama
The opposite of love is not
hate… it’s indifference!
Mother Teresa

Don't judge a man until

you've walked a mile in his
moccasins!
Geronimo, Apache chief
 What do you think?
Giving money to beggars
•  Some people will always be poor

•  It will help them get on their feet

again

•  It will encourage laziness

•  Instead of trying to
convince others
•  We should ask why others
think differently
•  And understand their
point of views
Mutual Understanding

“Peace cannot be kept by force. It can

only be achieved by understanding.”
Albert Einstein
Things that affect our thoughts are
related to our past and history
and cannot be changed.

Our perception of things is always

influenced by past experiences,
education and our personality.
 Activity
•  Volunteers come to front and will receive a
message

•  They will pass it on to 4 others, one by one

•  Last person will tell the message received

•  All others make lines of four (4) and turn back to

screen
 Activity
Peter already got a few traffic tickets for reckless
driving and yesterday he was seated in the
driver’s seat in his car with a beer in his hand
when a tragic accident happened. A man
crossing the street was hit and was seriously
injured in an area where police should be
controlling traffic infractions. The hitter was
immediately arrested.

Time: 0:10
0:00
0:05
0:30
0:20
 Messages Received

The fifth(5 )
th person
who received the
message tells the story
received
 Original Message
Peter already got a few traffic tickets for reckless driving and
yesterday he was seated in the driver’s seat in his car with a beer
in his hand when a tragic accident happened. A man crossing the
street was hit and was seriously injured in an area where police
should be controlling traffic infractions. The hitter was immediately
arrested.
•  Peter was parked far away from the accident

•  The accident was a man being hit by another person

•  The person who hit the man was arrested

•  Peter was not arrested

 Lessons

We communicate what
we see based on
prejudices and
previous experiences!
 We should not deny our
differences
but accept and acknowledge them
Differences between people can
lead to miscommunication, a
lack of trust or even conflicts.

However, differences can also

be an opportunity to learn from
each other and find new
solutions.
We are in the information era!
Information IS NOT
communication!
Communication implies in:
•  Recognizing others
•  See and accept differences
•  Negotiate
•  Tolerate
 Phones and computers
exchange information.

People communicate!

In 1944, communication was

one of the reason for conflicts.
 Why JCI Was Created
“Conscious of the fact that adequate civic training of
young men will enable them to exercise decisive
influence in the just solutions of the problems of
humanity; determined to shield future generations
from unhappiness brought about by
misunderstanding among men and anxious to
promote the well-being and progress of all
peoples; We resolve to unite our efforts by
constituting in an international association of Junior
Chambers.”
Preamble to JCI’s Constitution
 Omoiyari is a way of
thinking
•  Examine other’s perspective without judgment

•  Accept differences without labeling as “right” or

“wrong”

•  Our way may not be the “only” way

 Omoiyari is a way
of acting
•  Not “me-focused” (self centered)

•  Not “you-focused” (altruistic)

•  It is “we-focused” (interdependence)
 There are many problems
that need to be resolved, and the
Omoiyari spirit can be of immense
help in solving them.

What can you do for your

community based on the Omoiyari
spirit?

 Team Activity

In teams of 3 to 5,
discuss and create ideas
for projects a Local
Organization can conduct
in the community.

Time: 0:30
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2:00
5:00
1:30
4:00
3:00
0:10
0:00
1:00
0:05
 We can only have

World Peace if we
Understand each other
Accept other points of view
Communicate more
Have compassion
Practice Omoiyari
 Omoiyari
is not just an idea, it is a

call to action!
Thank you!