International understanding
国際理解
Overseas affairs lecture
海外事情講演
We will deepen our international understanding through the accounts of Japanese people who have lived overseas and experienced the lifestyle, culture, education, history, and other realities of various countries.
Lecture in easy English
Discussion in Plain English
We will have lectures about different themes in English that is simplified and easy to understand.
Overseas affairs lecture
Report on "The Future of Libraries Overseas"
On Sunday, July 21, 2024, Yoshiro Kato, author of "Library Culture Theory," spoke about the differences between the roles and public nature of public libraries overseas and traditional Japanese libraries, as well as the role and future of libraries in the digital society, while projecting various photos. He also mentioned the latest library and community center combinations in regional Japanese cities, libraries that are making use of new initiatives, and the state of budgets and human resources. The audience ranged from 4-year-olds to people in their 40s and 70s, and there was a lively exchange of opinions until the final Q&A session.
29th Lecture in Easy English
"Unconscious Bias and Gender: What are Unconscious Assumptions Based on Gender?" Sunday, September 17, 2023 Guest Speaker: Ms. Kaori Shirafuji, Director of Yokohama Kita Gender Equality Center After working as a banker, she graduated from the Eton Anglia Graduate School (Development and Gender) in the UK and joined the Yokohama City Women's Association (at the time). She has made employment support for women her life's work, and is currently the manager of the "Women and Work Support Desk." We welcomed and interviewed Kaori Shirafuji, who is currently the manager of the "Women and Work Support Desk." There were 30 participants, including staff. The lecture consisted of three parts: ① lecture, ② quiz, and ③ group work, and the group work was conducted in Japanese. We have unconscious assumptions about our lifestyles, traditions, culture, and values. The lecture began with what unconscious assumptions are, and then discussed why and how to remove them, with data on efforts to do so. It was surprising to learn that Japan is an extremely backward country, ranking 125th out of 146 countries in the world in the global index called the Gender Gap Index. In the mixed-gender group work, participants were split into five tables and watched three controversial corporate commercials, during which they enthusiastically shared their reactions. Throughout the lecture, participants commented that they had gained new insights and found the lecture interesting, making it a very meaningful event.
Overseas Affairs Lecture 2023 "The Real Philippines as Seen by a Correspondent"
Date: June 17, 2023 Guest speaker: Masaki Kuwahara Masaki Kuwahara, who has been in Manila since 2000 as a correspondent and bureau chief for Kyodo News and has been covering mainly incidents and accidents, spoke on the topic of "The Real Philippines as Seen by a Correspondent." He explained the true state of the Philippines, which we don't usually know much about, including its geographical conditions, historical background, and the influence of its political background. In addition, by using English as one of the official languages in Asia, the Philippines has made remarkable progress as a call center in the global era, with a GDP of 7.6% last year. I think this was an opportunity to think about the challenges facing Japan and the Japanese people in the global world, both now and in the future.
28th Lecture in Easy English
"Diversity in Education - International Islamia School Otsuka" Date: July 3, 2022 Guest speaker: Hosam Zainah We invited Hosam Zainah, principal of International Islamia School Otsuka, to speak on the theme of "diversity in education." There were 26 participants, including staff. Mr. Zainah is from Syria, but the school's teachers are made up of educators from various countries, including Japan, and the students who attend the school are from more than 10 countries, including Japan, and they learn together while recognizing the differences in their cultures. The education at the school, which is based on Islam, has some things in common with Japanese elementary schools, but also some things that are completely different. For example, music is not taught. Contact between boys and girls is not permitted. Daily studies are in three languages: Arabic, English, and Japanese. All lunches (bento boxes) are made with halal foods, etc. The audience was also very interested, and there were many questions, so the Q&A session continued until the very end of the session. There is still a lot we don't know about Islam, and the big theme of diversity in education left a strong impression on us, who live in a global society.
27th Lecture in Easy English
"True Pioneers: Native Americans" Date and time: Sunday, March 13, 2022 Guest speaker: Mike Graff Mike Graff, who has lived in Japan for 18 years, majored in biology and cultural anthropology at university and devoted himself to ethnic studies. He has studied Native Americans in both North and South America, and is also interested in the indigenous people of his hometown, Kansas. Mike Graff, who is also a teacher in the Lounge English Class, gave his first lecture on Native Americans. While measures to prevent the spread of the virus were taken, the event was held with 24 participants and 6 staff members, strictly adhering to alcohol disinfection, temperature checks, ventilation, and number restrictions.
