［May 2022］
Resumption of In-Person Activities at CLAIR Sydney

In the CLAIR Sydney Newsletter published in January 2022, I wrote that CLAIR Sydney has steadily restarted our in-person activities, such as taking part in events in a COVID safe manner. As mentioned in a report in this newsletter, last month, CLAIR Sydney even welcomed two representatives from a prefectural government-affiliated organisation in Japan. It was the first time in approximately two years that representatives from a Japanese local government or government-affiliated organisation visited the CLAIR Sydney office from Japan.

As many of our readers may know, Australia and New Zealand have extensively eased their international border restrictions and quarantine requirements for international travellers, and Japan has also been gradually lifting its restrictions and requirements. We anticipate seeing more visitors from Japan in Australia and New Zealand soon.

CLAIR Sydney will continue the gradual resumption of our in-person activities, which includes running booths at relevant events, participating in on-site conferences and business meetings, visiting partners, holding in-person learning and networking opportunities for local government officers, and accepting invites to make briefings and presentations at events. I hope that our staff, including the two new Assistant Directors whose introductions you can find in the special edition of the CLAIR Sydney Newsletter sent out earlier this month, can meet with the people of Australia and New Zealand at upcoming events and meetings very soon.

We sincerely hope that the COVID-19 pandemic will be contained promptly worldwide, and look forward to having more opportunities to meet with our partners in Australia and New Zealand. Until then, CLAIR Sydney will continue gradually expanding our in-person activities in a COVID safe manner.