TOMODACHI Alumni Regional Framework Welcome Event in Kyushu Region

On May 18 2018, 21 TOMODACHI Alumni from across the Kyushu Region gathered at the Fukuoka American Center to hear from two special guest speakers: Julie Chung, Director of the Office of Japanese Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, and Vanessa Zenji, Consul for Public Affairs at the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka.

The event started with Ms. Chung’s heartwarming and inspiring speech about her own experiences of having migrated to the United States and her father’s American Dream success story of how he worked his way up from a janitor to become president of that engineering company. She finished her speech with the inspiring words: “Dream big and work hard.”

The event was attended by 21 alumni who had come from local areas in Fukuoka as well as from as far as Saga, Oita, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto, and was organized by two Regional Leaders, Nazuna Yamasaki, alumna of the TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program, and Kota Kondo, alumnus of the TOMODACHI US Embassy Keio SFC Entrepreneurship Seminar, with support from the Regional Mentor, Shotaro Kurata, alumnus of the TOMODACHI-Mitsui & Co. Leadership Program.

Kota Kondo presented on the TOMODACHI Alumni Leadership Program and Nazuna Yamasaki led a workshop to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the Kyushu Region through small group discussions. Shotaro Kurata made closing remarks: “Thanks to TOMODACH, we had a great time together tonight. That’s why I’d like you to utilize this network and for the next event, I would like you all to be one of the organizers. The TOMODACHI Alumni Network is here for you to challenge yourself, dream big, and to make your dream come true.”

Ms. Julie Chung, Director of the Office of Japanese Affairs at the U.S. Department of State tweeted about the event. https://twitter.com/juliechungfso/status/997576810949787648