Sumitomo Corporation is engaged in a wide variety of social contribution activities around the world, mainly in regions it is operating. Since its headquarters was moved to Harumi in May 2001, Sumitomo has participated in cleanup campaigns and other social activities in cooperation with other companies operating in Chuo-Ku. As part of such activities, the company supported a barrier-free exhibition at nearby Tsukishima Daisan Elementary School. As a company operating in the neighborhood, Sumitomo has participated in the school's anti-crime activities as well as other initiatives for students. And now, in response to a request from the school and PTA, it has made further contributions by supporting the school's education activity from a company standpoint.

In June 2008, Sumitomo Corporation fully supported the barrier-free screening of The Witch of The West is Dead (with audio and Japanese subtitles) at Chuo-ku Tsukishima Daisan Elementary School. Since then, the school has made the main theme of its triennial exhibition "a barrier-free exhibition enjoyable for everybody." (see Note 1). The school decided to exhibit student works that are enjoyable to everybody, thereby facilitating contact between students and people with disabilities, and asked Sumitomo to cooperate by providing advice as well as material for the creation of exhibition items and ensuring people in the disabled community knew about the exhibition.

The "Barrier-free exhibition" was held from December 3 through 6, 2009 at Tsukishima Daisan Elementary School. More than 30 disabled people from the neighborhood attended, saying they really enjoyed the exhibited artworks. Students made various attempts to make the exhibition enjoyable for everyone. For visually-impaired people, they gave verbal explanations and let them directly touch their artworks, and for hearing-impaired people, they demonstrated how to use beeswax pens (note 2) in sign language.

As a good corporate citizen, Sumitomo strives to realize a society that is friendly to everyone, by further leading a wide variety of social contribution activities, including the promotion of barrier-free movie screenings.

(Note 1)  Usually, exhibition items are appreciated largely through visual information. So, the students created works that can be felt, heard or smelled, and gave verbal explanation for flat pictures without sound or scent, so that they could be enjoyed by all.

(Note 2)  Beeswax pens were developed for visually-impaired people. Drawn lines rise, so that people can touch and get an image of their drawing.