The stories of the project dates back to around this time last year, when one of the members, Ayana, was concerned about the refugee crisis and the Japanese government’s conservative attitude towards helping them. Having been brought up in Japan and moving to UWC ISAK Japan in 2016, she strongly felt how homogeneous Japan is and how it is keeping themselves from opening up their mind to the rest of the world. She believes that it is important for us to seek for the positive ways of integration over differences where countries are coming together, respecting, supporting, and learning from each other, not erasing the different characteristics or perspectives.  After visiting several organizations working for asylum seekers in Japan, she decided to work on something that is small enough for her to start but can make impacts.

 

She came up with ideas to physically connect Japanese students and the world outside through study volunteering trips and sponsorship projects that Japanese people can support children in need around the world with another member, Natalie. However, considering the overall impact and feasibility that we can leave through project and discussing with other new members of the project what is the most that they as a team can do, the team has decided to focus on leaving impacts on Japanese future generation through opportunities exposing them to the different world that they have never seen.

  That was when the team decided to move forward with their two main projects: Tsunagu- stories from around the world and Hiraku- unlock something new, which are storytelling video production and diversity workshop hosting respectively.