Ms Karen Ruddock Awarded with Commendation of Foreign Minister of Japan
2022/8/4
Press Release [22-01] - Ms Karen Ruddock Awarded with Commendation of Foreign Minister of Japan
On 4 August 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan announced that Ms Karen Ruddock, Director, Post-Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI), has been awarded with the Commendation of the Foreign Minister of Japan. This decision was made in recognition of Ms Ruddock’s outstanding contribution to the promotion of Japanese language education in Ireland. This year, 197 individuals and 48 groups worldwide received this recognition. The recipients will be presented with an award certificate.
Ms Ruddock took part in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme in Iwate Prefecture from 1991 to 1994, and studied at International Christian University in Tokyo as a Japanese Government Scholarship student between 1996 and 1999. Following this, she was a Japanese language lecturer at Trinity College Dublin.
During her time as PPLI National Coordinator from 2009 and now as Director, Ms Ruddock has played a key role in the expansion of Japanese language education in second-level schools in Ireland. Since it was offered by PPLI as the first non-European language in post-primary schools in 2001, Japanese has steadily grown in popularity. This would not have been possible without Ms Ruddock’s leadership and commitment to the development of Japanese language education in Ireland.
The Commendations of the Foreign Minister of Japan are awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas. The Commendations also aim to promote the understanding and support of the Japanese public for the activities of the recipients.
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(Contact)
Information & Culture Section, Embassy of Japan in Ireland
Tel.: 01 - 202 8300, E-mail: culture@ir.mofa.go.jp
Website: http://www.ie.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html
Ms Ruddock took part in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme in Iwate Prefecture from 1991 to 1994, and studied at International Christian University in Tokyo as a Japanese Government Scholarship student between 1996 and 1999. Following this, she was a Japanese language lecturer at Trinity College Dublin.
During her time as PPLI National Coordinator from 2009 and now as Director, Ms Ruddock has played a key role in the expansion of Japanese language education in second-level schools in Ireland. Since it was offered by PPLI as the first non-European language in post-primary schools in 2001, Japanese has steadily grown in popularity. This would not have been possible without Ms Ruddock’s leadership and commitment to the development of Japanese language education in Ireland.
The Commendations of the Foreign Minister of Japan are awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas. The Commendations also aim to promote the understanding and support of the Japanese public for the activities of the recipients.
(END)
(Contact)
Information & Culture Section, Embassy of Japan in Ireland
Tel.: 01 - 202 8300, E-mail: culture@ir.mofa.go.jp
Website: http://www.ie.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html