First Global Dignity Day in Japan
Kumi Fujisawa and Kohei Nishiyama both menber of Young Global Leader, WEF helped group of students to think about dignity at Tokyo International University on First Global Dignity Day held in Japan. More than 130 students were asked to share their own stories related with dignity and post their stories on the web site via mobile devices.
Global Dignity Day in Japan took place in both 17th and 20th at the campus of Tokyo International University with participation of more than 130 students. Including students from various nationalities.
At the session, Kumi Fujisawa and Kohei Nishiyama shared their personal stories that relates to dignity. Then students were asked to think about the meaning of dignity and share their own stories with each other.
Finding dignity in male-centric indsutry
Kumi shared her story on how it was difficult to start a businness in finantial sector as female. In Japan, working norm in finantial industry was very male-centric and as female she was not given enough opportunity. She had to take the risk all by herself to prove that gender does not matter in the industry.
She started her own business in finantial rating and sold the business with high demand to large finantial group successfully. At that time her decision was received in such a shock at indusry that it has changed the view of career path of many female employees in industry.
This message left strong impression to some female students in the room. The story made them think about their career ahead and refer to their life experience on how norms at society, school and even in their own family have been affecting their value- and live with less dignity.
Ovecoming racial discrimination in school
Kohei shared his story on how it was difficult to live as Asian in South America. Kohei was brought up in Venezuela where he encountered racism at school. Students at school bullied him because Kohei had an Asian look. He reffered to his days in kindergarden when was ignored and even thrown stones at him.
Kohei wished so much that his parents would not have beared him with Japanese look. He even asked his mother to call him Louis instead of Japanse name Kohei. At early day he simply wanted to make his day by trying to become like other. Then he shared the day when he realized that would not solve anything.
From that day, he decided to work hard in area where he could prove him self to be the best. He chose Mathematic and Art as classses- for he would not have to speak Spanish to be the best. Few years later he found himself with much sence of dignity. Not like before many friends would come up to him to help do their homeworks and thus found his own raison d’etre.
After his comment, a black student volunteered to speak up his version of story in Japan.
New technology introduced at Global Dignity Day
Associate Professor of Tokyo International University, Miki Sugiura introduced wireless technology to make the session more interactive. All 130 students were asked to post their stories via cell phone and simultaneousely all the stories were projected at front screen.
From the screen one can tell how well students grasped the meaning and implication of dignity in their own context. The big screen at the front was filled with more than one hudred stories related with dignity in matter of few minuites. All stories were based on real experiences of patricipants. Needless to say many of the messages were touching.
Passing the iniative forward
Following the session on 17th, another Global Dignity session was held on 20th at Tokyo International University. This time group of students participated in prior sessions conducted the role as moderator in smaller groups.
Leaving a momentum to pass the movement forward with force of students.
