Interview regarding the logo commemorating the 90th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Japan and Honduras

We interviewed Mr. Hansy Carrasco (Mr. Hansy) of the JICA Honduras office, who created the commemorative logo for the 90th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Honduras.

－First, I would like to ask you about the logo you created. What made you decide to create the logo?

Actually, this was a coincidence. Originally, I had created several logo ideas for the 50th anniversary of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) dispatch to Honduras, and one of the five or six ideas I had at the time was chosen as the logo for the contest launched by the Embassy to select the logo for the 90th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Honduras.

－So, you selected one from many you that you created. What did you like the most about the logo you selected?

Well, I really like about Japan and its culture. So, I tried to condense the Japanese culture. Something that everybody knows about is origami, and the other special symbol of Japan is the crane. Origami crane is a symbol for luck, prosperity, peace kind of a concept. And then the rising sun is another element that you can relate easily with Japan. So, I made all of these in one to represent Japan.

And in the Honduras side, I tried to use our turquoise blue for the 9. Yes, that's our Honduran flag color turquoise blue. But it was very difficult to condense the elements of the Honduran flag - turquoise blue, white, and five stars - compared to the simple Japanese flag, so I decided to use only turquoise blue. So, I tried to just use our turquoise blue. And in our case the Macau is our national bird. So, I tried to make it in to represent Honduras.

But also, something that I can highlight from this logo, is the Mizuhiki(*1) between Honduras and Japan. Japanese, when they give a present or they want to have something special, they always have this kind of neat tie, to give a present. So for us it's like a present to have this 90 years relations between both countries.

－I realize that you know Japanese culture very well. Where did you learn it?

Well, I learned a lot before even entering JICA because I grew up in the states, so I was always close to having relations with a lot of multicultural scenes at school or when I went out as a tourist. I had the opportunity to visit Japan twice, and I deepened comprehension on Japanese culture. And I really got fun into Japanese culture and traditions and gastronomy. It was really nice for me realizing a lot of Japanese Mindset as well.

－And looking at the logo, I realized that the cranes paper planes are designed to look like they're flying though they're they're usually sitting, right? Do you have any meaning there?

Yes. Well, it means getting close. Japan's cooperation in general, not only JICA, but also the embassy is always ready to share and to give to us as an action. So that's why we're expecting those cooperations to arrive and to embrace it.

－So that the two birds are Designed to Come face to face each other.

Yes. And because Japan, it's a long distance from Honduras, so it also represents distance and that you have to move all the way from Japan to come to Honduras and work together with us.

－It has a lot of meanings inside it. I really love it. It's perfect for 90 years anniversary. And do you have any other thing to tell us about the logo?

Well, it was a surprise when I got the news that I was selected. Also, I felt really proud at the moment I got selected because It's an honor for me to represent a long relation, a friendship between these two countries through this logo. It's not just creating a logo. It's all that comes behind it that really makes me proud of creating this because it's 90 years of history between these two countries. So it means a lot for me and even my family was really proud of me, you know, being in the embassy and receiving that small gift from the ambassador.

－I think the ambassador liked the logo as well.

Yes. They are bringing it all around when they have some event and that makes me feel ”oh, they really liked it.” They put it on the table between the people that are interacting, or at events, they always have it in hand. That's something that really is neat for me because they're showing off something that I created. I didn't expect that to happen, but it's really nice how they're showing off the logo.

－What kind of projects are you doing right now?

There's a lot. For example, I'm right now in a water supply project for the capital city of Honduras. In the agricultural sector, I am trying to lead The SHEP initiative(*2), and in the tourism sector, we're going to start a project in the regional scope with SICA. We're going to be working on CBT(*3), community-based tourism, and try to have a cookbook to have the best practices and how to develop it.

There is another "Kusanone" or grass root project with Komatsu university. They are working on introducing the Eco Museum Concept to Mayan community near the archaeological site of Copan ruins. Also, there is a project to refurbish and install some equipment into the regional archaeological museum at Copan Ruins which show the treasures from the Mayan culture.

Going more to the environmental sector, I've been working for biodiversity projects and solid waste management projects.
That's something that we're doing right now.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg.

－ You basically manage all of these projects.

Yes, it's really interesting and I'm passionate about what I do. And the thing is that I know that through JICA I'm helping my country as well, so I feel very productive. I feel that I can even give value added to the projects because I'm not only managing the projects, but I like to get involved and try to put something that the experts can't do, but I can help.
This catalyze Between Hondurans and Japanese, so I can help out with other things or I can help out in designs because I'm also a graphic designer. I really like generating infographs, videos, so I can help PR a little. That’s something I know that it will make sense at the moment of showing the projects not only for Honduras but maybe for the region as well.

－So you worked as graphic designer before you come to JICA?

It's a long story, but when I was younger, I was a Boy Scout, I was also a youth firefighter for five years and I I've been volunteering a lot since I was a teenager. I even was an English teacher as an ESL teacher for five years as well before working with JICA, and also I worked with a NGO where we built houses for people in extreme poverty. So I've been moving around in many volunteer programs, but in this in this last NGO I mentioned is where I started developing more of my graphic design abilities and video editing abilities. I taught myself how to start designing and diagramming. After that, I came to JICA. That's my story of how I got to JICA and where I got that volunteering spirit.

－Interesting. I think people working at JICA have volunteering spirits in their mind. And you're one of them.

Yes, it opens your mind. It really gets you in contact with reality. I understand that sometimes teenagers don't think in helping out others, but what is the sense of being a citizen if you don't look others, take care of others and start getting conscience on reality?
Once you understand what's going on around you, it's where you get conscience. And you say now I can understand why I am studying this sector or this subject, and it makes even more sense.

－It is 90th anniversary diplomatic relations between Japan and Honduras. I heard that like people in Honduras have good impressions about Japan. What do you think our relationship will be like in the future?

Once when you relate or when you mention Japan here in Honduras, people respect. It is not only because of the long 90 years relation, but they relate Japan with high quality. Well, I cannot foresee what's going to happen in the future, but when we talk about quality, it is related with long lasting, with something that lasts long period of time. And quality also relates to Trust. So, when you have a long lasting and trust relation that means almost forever.

－To continue that relation, JICA and other people who knows about Honduras in Japan have to spread more about Honduras in Japan, I guess.

Yes, absolutely. When I was in Japan, there were some coffee shops that sometimes have Honduran coffee highlighted and that's really neat. That is a way promoting Honduras by quality products that we have and represent our country. Chocolate, coffee, and maybe other products, I believe that we have a good tourist attraction here that can be of interest for Japanese as well.

We can open our country just by the Mayan civilization, but the Mayan civilization is just like a hub to connect with other interests that Japanese have. May be cultural, maybe nature, or maybe just enjoy the beach. We can connect Honduras with Japan, with many ways.

－Can I have your message to the people of Japan?

I'm grateful with Japan, with its people, with its government, in the name of all Honduras. Because in 90 years impact of Japan in Honduras have been very positive. And that's why we celebrate now these 90 years of friendship. Not only 90 years of diplomatic relations, but It's also very bold 90 years of friendship. Honduras and Japan are "tomodachi". That means that as friends, we can share and we can solve our problems together, co-creating and innovating solutions for our country. And in this co-creation Relation, we can find things that we can both learn from each other. So, I say thank you for all this, this cooperation and these 90 years of friendship and its 90 years of learning from each other.

Hansy-san, thank you so much for your time and cooperation in this interview!

(*1) Mizuhiki
An ancient Japanese art of knot-tying that involves twisting thinly-cut washi (Japanese traditional paper) strips to form a string and then hardening it with starch. It is commonly used to decorate envelopes and gifts.

(*2)SHEP Approach
An approach to support small-scale farmers. The goal is to change the mindset of farmers from “make something and then look for a place to sell it” to “make something that can be sold,” and to improve farmers' horticultural income by improving their farming and cultivation skills.
(SHEP Approach ｜ What We Do - JICA)

(*3) CBT （Community Based Tourism）
Tourism development led by local residents.
Project example:
・Project to strengthen mechanisms for sustainable community-based tourism development in the northern region | ODA Project Website
・Community-based tourism planning project that contributes to Poverty Reduction | ODA Project Website

【Related Pages】
・Honduras ｜ Where We Work - JICA