56 I was overawed by the fact that a ‘critical insight’ such as this was brought to light by the Cambodian trainees themselves. News of the excavation of these 274 Buddhist statues was reported by the media to the entire world, drawing praise for the exalted culture of the Khmer people. It dispelled grudges that had accrued over the 24 years of political turmoil and civil war, the people felt revitalized, and a massive dream had unfolded before them. The issue was highlighted daily within Cambodia via newspapers and television broadcasts, and this great finding of the century aided Cambodians in regaining their self-confidence, and pride in their cultural heritage. As President of Sophia University While engaged in the conservation and restoration of the Angkor ruins and human resource development activities, I concurrently served as president of Sophia University for a period of six years, namely from 2005 to 2011. Sophia University is an institution directed by the Sophia School Corporation, which was established by the Jesuits (also known as the Society of Jesus), a male religious order of the Roman Catholic Church (having its principal headquarters in Rome). Its origins date back to a letter dispatched to Rome by the missionary Francis Xavier who arrived in Japan in the 16th century, wherein he stated, “I desire to build a university in the capital city of Japan.” On the appeal of the Pope, in 1913 (Taisho 2) the institution was launched as a university, by the vocational school ordinance. After the war it became a new university, and in 2013 we celebrated the centennial of its founding. The ‘Committee for Selecting the President’ which comprises directors of the Sophia School Corporation selects three candidates, after which all members of the University’s teaching and administrative staff cast their votes, and the nominee with the highest number of votes is appointed. In 2005 I was appointed as the thirteenth
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