What do you see? -The world seen by students through volunteer activities- Volunteer Fair 2011

On May 6th, the Hirayama Ikuo Volunteer Center (WAVOC) held a volunteer fair at Masaru Ibuka Auditorium.

This event is held every year to promote understanding and to create interest in volunteer activities. This year marked the 9th time that the event was held. Under the broad theme of "What do you see?", the event included booths for informal discussion about volunteering, onsite information regarding earthquake reconstruction volunteers, a panel discussion entitled "Society as seen by students through the Great East Japan Earthquake", and a photography exhibition entitled "What do the world's students see?"

The many visitors to booths were given an introduction to activities by representatives of 22 projects conducted both within Japan and overseas. Furthermore, booths were operated by students who had participated in earthquake volunteer activities. Students explained what they had actually seen in disaster areas and gave advice on how to help. Under a theme of "applying regular activities to earthquake volunteering", each project broadcasted a message about their feelings towards the recent earthquake. There was also a photography exhibit and a writing exhibit in which visitors wrote their impressions and thoughts regarding the Great East Japan Earthquake on flower-shaped cards. The event was visited by many people and was a great success.

During the panel discussion held from 2:45 PM, students gave a report on earthquake volunteer activities under the themes of "How students can help disaster areas" and "Taking action for your devastated hometown."

Afterwards, a discussion was held which focused on the social issues of farming villages which comprise the majority of disaster areas, examining how such issues are changing as a result of the earthquake. The following 4 people participated in the discussion: Taro Fujita (3rd year student, School of Political Science and Economics), a member of the WAVOC Thoughtful Forest Cultivation Center; Haruka Kadokura (3rd year student, School of Law), a member of the WAVOC Educational Aid for Charter Schools (Project for Hawaii); Noriyuki Wakisaka, a editor at Asahi Shimbun Newspaper; and Yoko Yamazaki, Representative of Inaka-no-Heroine Network and a member of the MAFF (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) Committee for Policy on Food, Farming and Farming Villages. The discussion was coordinated by WAVOC Assistant Professor Megumi Akiyoshi. Furthermore, they exchanged their opinions about the roles the media, policy on farming/farming villages, farmers, and settlements themselves have played in the social issues.

The discussion featured audience interaction and served as an opportunity for participating students to consider society through their own experiences and to envision ways in which they can work to change society.

Related Link: Spring Volunteer Fair 2011

(May 6th, 2011)