Report of UNU open class in 6 Aug. 2024


"Youth Engagement in Politics and the Role of Education in Building the Next Generation of Leaders"


Speaker is the Mayor of Ashiya City Ryosuke Takashima

with UNU Rector Tshilidzi Marwara


Point 1 is how to reinvigorate youth engagement in the goverment of Japan, point 2 is reforming the education sytem to elicit the desire of students.
He wanted to be the Mayor of Akashi, Hyogo prefecture, because of the power could make change everything in the region. City hall want to know what people wait to be done, so, he chosed the mayor not a member of parliament.
He focuses on nuturing leaders, reforming Japanese public school education and supporting proactive high school students aspiring for higher education abroad.
Difficulty of administration comes sometime from his young age, but he is encouraged by young. And he thinks about over 65 years that they do think about next generation but not themselves (in this poit I'd like to ask him in the reception, but young people made long line to talk with him, I gave up waiting).