On August 25, a send-off party for the Japanese delegation was held prior to the 2023 “One Young World (OYW) Global Summit for Next Generation Leaders” in Belfast, England. Dilyorakhon Azizbek Kizi, a first-year student in the Discovery Program for Global Learners, and NUNO Kokoro, a third-year student in the same program, attended the event.

Following opening remarks by Mr. OKUBO Kimihito, President of One Young World Japan Committee, Her Excellency Julia Longbottom, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Japan, gave an address at the send-off ceremony, in which she noted that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement between the United Kingdom and Ireland regarding the Northern Ireland conflict, and encouraged the participants with the comment of “I hope that you will learn about the historical background of Ireland and actively exchange views on peace with the young leaders who will gather from around the world. I believe that if all young people work together, we can create a positive change.”

The event was followed by a networking session between ambassadors who have participated in OYW in the past, university students, and other young leaders who will attend the Belfast Summit, where they deepened exchanges through topics such as social issues they are interested in and workshops they plan to attend during the Summit. The Japanese delegation of OYW, including Ms. Nuno and Ms. Akramjonova, participated in plenary sessions, discussions, workshops, and networking at the Belfast Summit from October 2 to October 5. The OYW will be a platform for lively discussions on Peace and Reconciliation, Climate Change, Food Crisis, Education, and Mental Health, using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the framework.

This year marks the 13th time OYW has been held, and Okayama University has sent students to the OYW Summit every year since Bangkok in 2015.