CWAJ has been named the 2025 recipient of the Helen Keller Sullivan Award in recognition of its long-standing service to the visually impaired community in Japan.
The award, presented by the Tokyo Helen Keller Association, honors individuals and organizations that have contributed to the independence and quality of life of visually impaired people. The announcement was made on September 29, 2025, by Mr. Okumura, Director General of the Tokyo Helen Keller Association, who noted, “This was a unanimous decision by the selection committee.” The award ceremony took place in Tokyo on October 10. CWAJ received a certificate of appreciation and a crystal trophy engraved with Helen Keller’s signature.
In her acceptance remarks, CWAJ President Heidi Sweetnam highlighted the organization’s five decades of service through its Volunteers for the Visually Impaired (VVI) program. Since 1975, VVI has pioneered initiatives that promote education, cultural exchange, and friendship between sighted and visually impaired communities. CWAJ volunteers conduct weekly English conversation classes at the Japan Vocational Development Center for the Blind and Low Vision individuals, supporting participants in expanding their communication skills and consequently their employment prospects. The volunteers also organize social gatherings several times a year and collaborate with the Special Needs Education School for the Visually Impaired at the University of Tsukuba to help students prepare for the EIKEN proficiency tests.
Each year, at the CWAJ Print Show of Contemporary Japanese Prints, visitors can experience a special Hands-on Art Exhibit designed for the visually impaired. In partnership with the Japan Braille Library, several prints are reproduced as tactile artworks, so that people with a visual impairment can enjoy the show. Over the years, CWAJ has awarded more than 870 scholarships, including 84 to visually impaired students,
Eri Nakase, CWAJ 2004 SVI-SJ scholar and one of VVI Committee co-chairs this year, thanked the association for the honor in receiving the award, and talked about her personal experiences with CWAJ as an individual with a visual impairment. CWAJ Vice President Yoko Moskowitz reflected that CWAJ’s “personal touch” and lasting relationships with the visually impaired community have helped members see diversity in new ways and deepen their understanding of inclusion.
Click here to learn more about CWAJ’s programs supporting visually impaired students or here to contribute to its scholarship fund.
