The International Society for Music Education is proud to announce that Yasuharu Takahagi has been appointed as the fifth ISME Honorary President. Yasuharu, better known to his friends at ISME as "Yasu", is a man of vision, a true pioneer in the region of the world where he has spent his career as a music educator who embodies all that is good about this wonderful discipline we're all proud to call music education.

Yasu first joined ISME in 1963 and from his first conference became a recognisable face and enthusiastic supporter at ISME Conferences for another four decades. He worked tirelessly in his home country to improve and promote music education and travelled extensively abroad from the 1960s until 2000. During that time he received several international research travel grants that allowed him to bring back new ideas and methods so that Japan could be aware of the very latest developments and thinking in music education around the world. He translated countless articles and papers on significant trends in music education for publication in Japanese professional journals. He also worked to introduce music educators internationally to the unique and magnificent ways in which music is taught in his own country.

His election to the Presidency of ISME in 1992 serves as a symbol of perseverance and dedication to the highest ideals of music teaching. During his time as ISME President, he helped to secure significant funding from a variety of sources and was instrumental in developing the ISME Declaration of Beliefs for Worldwide Promotion of Music Education that was accepted by the Board of Directors in 1994. The policy has since proved to be a landmark in our Society's history and one of the most influential and important documents our discipline has produced.

The ISME Declaration which he championed had such an effect that both houses of the Japanese Diet - the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors - enacted a new law in November 1994 entitled: "Law for promotion of music education and culture".

In Japan, Yasu chaired the National Conference for Music Education, which brought together 72 music, music education and music industry organisations. As a result of the new law that this organisation lobbied to promote, Japan stipulated the 1^st of October as its International Music Day, for promoting various kinds of musical activities throughout the country every year since, which are subsidised by the Cultural Agency, local public organisations and music businesses.

Aligned with these achievements Yasu was also instrumental in convincing the Japanese Government to issue International Music Day postage stamps as a means of celebrating and commemorating music education. Later, he received an incitation from the Director General of UNESCO to serve as a member of the Commission on Music in the 21^st Century. This was the first time that anyone outside of Europe had been a participant in these meetings.

Yasu is a very gentle man - a listener, first and foremost. He listens, and he understands. He asks questions and offers opinions when asked. His generous and gentle way of working with people from all cultures and backgrounds is the reason why he is so appreciated and admired. He also possesses great strength, integrity and wisdom.

These professional and person qualities combined with Yasu's knowledge of and long commitment to ISME and music education around the world, make him a most worthy recipient of the position of ISME Honorary President.

- Gary McPherson

Response - Yasuharu Takahagi

It is really a great honour for me to be appointed as the fifth ISME Honorary President. I am willing to do my best to serve in this position.

Today, various kinds of international conflicts are increasing unfortunately due to a shortage of communication and mutual understanding. I believe music has a very unique communicative function beyond language. I would therefore like to emphasise strongly the necessity to renew our understanding of the spirit of the "ISME Declaration of Beliefs" for promoting music education on a global scale for a peaceful world.

- Yasuharu Takahagi