True Potential

The Nippon Foundation executive director Ichiro Kabasawa shares with Hashirin Nurin Hashimi how the organisation is championing artistes with disabilities through the True Colours Festival

f you haven’t heard of tony dee, it is time you did. The Australian, whose real name is Tony Doevendans, is the face—and the voice—of the viral We’re the Superhumans trailer by the UK broadcaster Channel 4 for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. In the video, which has more than 43 million views on Facebook and Youtube, Doevendans’ rendition of Yes I Can by Sammy Davis Jr is the soundtrack to a cinematic showcase of the exceptional talents of 140 athletes, musicians and ordinary people with disabilities. Doevendans, who was born with spina bifida and is confined to a wheelchair, is set to mesmerise audiences in Singapore at the True Colours Festival, which takes place from March 22 to 25. Presented by The Nippon Foundation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), the festival features a three-night concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, with a festival village at the nearby OCBC Square, and is produced by Very Special Arts Singapore (VSA). It brings together some 20 artistes with disabilities from the Asia-pacific region, along with guest artistes from Canada, the UK, the US and Chile. Since its founding in 1962, The Nippon Foundation has been involved in activities that support the rights of persons with disabilities in Japan and around the world. Through eliminating social barriers, it hopes to help everyone realise their full potential. “Our goal is to build an inclusive global society, not just for persons with disabilities, but for everyone,” says executive director Ichiro Kabasawa. This is aligned with the vision of Unesco, which it shares a long history with. With its roots in the maritime and shipping industries, The Nippon Foundation draws the majority of its funds from the proceeds of Japanese motorboat racing, which in Japan is a unique philanthropy-oriented enterprise. Today, the organisation has expanded its scope, working with more than 20 partner organisations around