Celebrating 20 years of the Father Tony Glynn Japan-Australia Centre

Established in 2004, the Centre provides support to hundreds of Japanese students annually and is a hub of cultural exchange and friendship between Japan and Australia.

Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Tyrone Carlin, met with a delegation from Nara, Japan, to commemorate the Centre’s milestone.

“The Father Tony Glynn Japan-Australia Centre Gallery plays a crucial role in fostering international cooperation and understanding,” said Professor Carlin.

“The Centre has boldly paved the way for strengthened relations between Australia and Japan. I congratulate all involved on their achievements over the past two decades.”

The Japanese delegation were welcomed by Australian and Japanese students and took a tour of the gallery, which included a banner display created by student Mina, a high school exchange student from Lismore’s sister city, Yamato Takada.

Guests viewed an excerpt from the film Rail Road of Love, which documents the life of Father Tony Glynn, and were treated to musical performances by soprano singer Arai Atsuko and Isabella a Cappella members Grace Cockburn and Dylan Curnow.

The delegation included Professor Sachio Semmoto, a leader in telecommunications in Japan and friend of Father Tony Glynn, Member of Parliament House Iwao Horii, as well as representatives from Hozanji Temple Social Welfare Corporation, KDDI Corporation, Junshinkai Social Welfare Corporation, the Rokumoto Architectural Design Office, Nanwa Hospital, and member of the Nara prefectural assembly.

SCU College Teaching Associate Tazuko McLaren OAM said it was wonderful to commemorate the history of relations between Lismore and Nara.

“Many students come to Southern Cross University from Japan to not only learn English but also the history between Japan and Australia. They become more globally-minded which is a great benefit to the student,” Mrs McLaren said.

“The Centre commemorates how Japan-Australia relations have changed post-World War II, thanks to the efforts of Father Tony Glynn.”

Mrs McLaren was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2018 for her contribution to education and to Australia-Japan relations. She played an important role in the establishment of the Japan-Australia Centre and has curated the Centre’s gallery for many years.

The Centre is named in memory of Father Tony Glynn, a Marist Brother priest and native of Lismore, who was inspired to dedicate his life to reconciliation between the people of Japan and Australia in the aftermath of World War II.

The Centre is located at the heart of the University and is owned and operated by the University and the Japan Centre Committee. Nearby stands the monument which marks the 40-year anniversary of the Lismore–Yamato Takada sister city relationship (1963–2003), a relationship instigated by Father Glynns’ work.