Tohoku University is currently engaged in a national initiative supported by The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Japan. It aimed at generating social impact through internationalization. As part of this initiative, we are working to share our long-standing expertise in intercultural collaborative learning beyond the university, and into the broader community.

Strengthening both international and local partnerships and connecting local and global perspectives with regional realities is central to our mission.

The promotion of multicultural coexistence is one of the most critical challenges of our time. As societies become more diverse, educational institutions, local communities, governmental bodies, and international organizations all play essential roles in fostering multicultural understanding and social cohesion.

Today's program brings together voices from each of these sectors, offering a very rare opportunity to explore this issue from many, many more angles.

I'm confident that such a gathering will inspire new ideas and pathways for collaboration.

At distinctive feature of today's symposium is that the active participation of the students. During the Q&A session and group discussions, students will not only learn from the speakers, but also contribute their own perspectives.

This embodies a script of the educational diplomacy, where young people engage across cultural and institutional boundaries to shape a more inclusive future.

I hope that today’s dialogue will encourage all student participants to take a meaningful step forward as emerging leaders connecting Japan, Australia, and the wider world.

At Tohoku University, we have long promoted opportunities for students to engage in dialogue with diverse others and to learn through lived intercultural experiences.

This symposium represents an important extension of these efforts—an opportunity to broaden our collaborations with regional and international partners and to deepen our collective understanding of what it means to build an inclusive and resilient multicultural society.

In concluding, I'd like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to organizing this event. I hope today's discussion will be enriching for all of you, and it will lead to new insights and connections.

 Thank you very much for your attention. 

‍