Investiture ceremony for Dr Wayne Lawrence (12 April 2024)
2024/4/16
On Friday 12 April, an investiture ceremony was held at the Consul General’s residence for Dr Wayne Lawrence, recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette in the 2023 Autumn Conferment of Decorations.
Dr Wayne Lawrence has contributed to promoting academic exchanges and mutual understanding between Japan and New Zealand.
Dr Lawrence was a former MEXT(Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Scholarship student at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and University of Tsukuba from 1987 and is highly regarded for his research into Ryukyu dialects in the Okinawa Islands. He has played a central role in developing Japanese language education at the University of Auckland for about 40 years, including the establishment of the Classical Japanese language course at the university.
At the ceremony, Consul General MATSUI Shinji congratulated Dr Lawrence on his achievements and presented him with the decoration.
Dr Harumi Minagawa, Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland, and other colleagues or former colleagues from the university also congratulated Dr Lawrence, introducing his contributions and achievements to date.
Upon receiving the decoration, Dr Lawrence expressed his great enjoyment in nurturing students to become a bridge between Japan and New Zealand through Japanese language education and his deep appreciation at being able to share the honour of this decoration with friends and colleagues who have supported education and research. He also expressed his enthusiasm to continue his research into the Ryukyu dialects.
The ceremony was attended by family, friends and colleagues involved in Japanese language education and Japanese studies, to celebrate in Dr Lawrence's honour. This occasion brought all the participants an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of continuing with joint efforts to maintain Japanese language education and Japanese studies in NZ. Congratulations, Dr Lawrence!
For more information, please take a look at the 2023 Autumn Conferment of Decorations notice: https://www.auckland.nz.emb-japan.go.jp/files/100575670.pdf
Dr Wayne Lawrence has contributed to promoting academic exchanges and mutual understanding between Japan and New Zealand.
Dr Lawrence was a former MEXT(Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Scholarship student at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and University of Tsukuba from 1987 and is highly regarded for his research into Ryukyu dialects in the Okinawa Islands. He has played a central role in developing Japanese language education at the University of Auckland for about 40 years, including the establishment of the Classical Japanese language course at the university.
At the ceremony, Consul General MATSUI Shinji congratulated Dr Lawrence on his achievements and presented him with the decoration.
Dr Harumi Minagawa, Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland, and other colleagues or former colleagues from the university also congratulated Dr Lawrence, introducing his contributions and achievements to date.
Upon receiving the decoration, Dr Lawrence expressed his great enjoyment in nurturing students to become a bridge between Japan and New Zealand through Japanese language education and his deep appreciation at being able to share the honour of this decoration with friends and colleagues who have supported education and research. He also expressed his enthusiasm to continue his research into the Ryukyu dialects.
The ceremony was attended by family, friends and colleagues involved in Japanese language education and Japanese studies, to celebrate in Dr Lawrence's honour. This occasion brought all the participants an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of continuing with joint efforts to maintain Japanese language education and Japanese studies in NZ. Congratulations, Dr Lawrence!
For more information, please take a look at the 2023 Autumn Conferment of Decorations notice: https://www.auckland.nz.emb-japan.go.jp/files/100575670.pdf
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| Consul General MATSUI | Dr Wayne Lawrence (recipient) | Dr Harumi Minagawa (Senior Lecture of the University of Auckland) |
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| Commemorative photo with Consul General MATSUI |
Commemorative photo with UoA staff members | Group photo |