Future Leaders of Tohoku, Japan, and the World Join Online Post-Program

On November 29, 2020, nearly 50 alumni and supporters of the TOMODACHI Summer 2019 Softbank Leadership Program participated in the online Post-Program Seminar.

The seminar began with a movie looking back on the three-week program in Berkeley, California in July 2019. Then all participants enjoyed an ice-breaking game and split into small groups for discussions.

They shared what they achieved toward the action plans they developed during their travel to the United States. They also talked about the difficulties furthering their action plans due to the spread of COVID-19. Some participants have already begun their studies at universities and shared tips on continuing to carry out their action plans during life at university. They also freely exchanged opinions on different topics such as how they handled both their action plans and university studies, and what they can do during their time in high school.

They also watched heart-warming video messages from instructors and leaders who they met in the US study trip in 2019, offering an opportunity to remember and validate the confidence they built and the decisions they made in the United States during the trip.

Finally, they discussed their future roles as leaders in the Tohoku region of Japan and the world, as the ten year anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake draws closer. They discussed ways to continue to share stories of the disaster and the importance of disaster drills with those who did not experience or remember the disaster. Participants said, “I believe both ‘telling my experience’ and ‘taking action’ are important. I hope to continue engaging with local communities and the world while having a sense of ownership and responsibility,” and “I think there is a big opportunity for the local area as online business increases. I want to work passionately in that industry.” The participants expressed their thoughts and successfully completed the seminar.