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ICU Founder's Day Commemorative Service

Update: June 16, 2017

A church service to commemorate the founding of ICU took place on Wednesday, June 14 at the university chapel.

The commemorative service is conducted every year to commemorate the founding of ICU on June 15, 1949, when Japanese and North American Christian leaders gathered to hold a university organizing committee meeting at the YMCA Tozanso in Gotemba, Shizuoka to officially found International Christian University. With the establishment of the board of administration and the board of trustees, the founding principles and a fundamental educational plan were laid down that day.

Officiated by Rev. Shoko Kitanaka, the service began with a chorus of Hymn No. 339 "Messiah" by all those in attendance, which was followed by the reading of The Acts of the Apostles chapter 20 verses 34 and 35.

Successively, ICU President Junko Hibiya delivered a message titled "To receive and to give."

President Hibiya noted how ICU was founded by donations from many people when they were only beginning to rebuild their lives after the defeat in World War II, and reminded that the faculty, staff and students at ICU bear the responsibility to respond to the expectations of those who made contributions to the university. Emphasizing that true joy comes from giving not being given, she asked the faculty to devote themselves to supporting each student so that they can find their true paths through their experiences in ICU.

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