[UNHEARD NOTES]
The Charter of the International Piano Festival by People with Disabilities
(The charter of Piano Paralympics International)

1. UNHEARD NOTES Piano Paralympics is an International festival of Piano music performed by handicapped people.

2. Using "Piano" as a synthetic language of expression, we give opportunity for people all over the world who love piano to gather and make connections.

3. By overcoming the social disadvantages that most handicapped experience, we can explore possibilities through piano performance, and hopefully achieve new understanding and recognition.

4. Through these efforts the impossible becomes "possible". We shall cultivate the spirit of sincerity for the boundless possibilities of humankind.

5. The applicants may be either amateur or professional, with no age limit, as long as they are all ambitious, music-loving people.

6. The applicants should understand that just participating is the most important thing, which, above all else, brings honor.

7.The first Piano Paralympics started in Japan in 2005. We are planning on having this festival once every four years, rotating the host country.

8. The hosting country should apply directly to the committee of the International Piano Festival by People with Disabilities and will make the final decision.

9. The hosting country is responsible for carrying out all things, such as setting up the hall, advertising, organization, and the management of expenses.

10. The head office of the committee of the International Piano Festival by People with Disabilities (the Piano Paralympics Association) is located in Tokyo, Japan.

11. The official language will be A) English, and B) Japanese.

12. The Tokyo office will hold an important role of which it obtains a foothold to all over the world.

13. Every country should organize a committee, which shall bear the name of their country.

14. The committee of the committee of the International Piano Festival by People with Disabilities (the Piano Paralympics) in every country should make an effort to inform Piano teachers and make an effort to improve the environment of piano education for handicapped people.

15. All the members of the committee of the International Piano Festival by People with Disabilities (the Piano Paralympics association) are running this event as volunteers, with no remuneration.

16. To increase the size of this association, we will try our best incorporate a great variety of disabilities, and to integrate the larger community of disabled persons, while at the same time helping disabled musicians to feel independent as a musicians.

17. One of our goals is to have every country's committee of the International Piano Festival by People with Disabilities (Piano Paralympics committee) to develop closer relationships with and to assist excellent researchers and music educators of the disabled.

18. The International Piano Festival by People with Disabilities (Piano Paralympics) applicants should be recommended by the committee of the International Piano Festival by People with Disabilities (the committee of the Piano Paralympics )of their country.

19. The committee of the International Piano Festival by People with Disabilities (the committee of the Piano Paralympics) should conduct themselves in a spirit of fairness, make every effort to work with their country's official institutions, and have a sincere desire to cooperate with the International Paralympics committee, and the International Olympics committee.

20. Every committee in every country must make an sincere effort to manage their association of piano teachers for the disabled, and to ensure its continuation.

21. This charter has been used since January of 2005.

22. If there are any changes, we will take it into consideration at the committee of the International Piano Festival by People with Disabilities (the International Piano Paralympics) meeting in an effort for improvement.

23. Each country shall contribute one person to the committee, and he/she should be someone who has past experience working with the committee of the International Piano Festival by People with Disabilities ( the Piano Paralympics.)

To participate in the piano Paralympics, is to stand on a stage of the history!