Two students from Okayama University participated in the international forum “Nagasaki Peace-Preneur Forum powered by One Young World 2025,” held in Nagasaki Prefecture from May 16 to 18. The participants were Ms. Sena Tanaka (third-year student, Faculty of Education) and Ms. Chok Jia Xuan (fourth-year student, Global Discovery Program).

The forum was organized by the One Young World Nagasaki Council, a consortium of industry, academia, and government in Nagasaki Prefecture, with support from the global summit One Young World (OYW). This year marked the second time the forum has been held and coincided with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.

Under the main theme “Division and Dialogue,” the forum provided participants with an opportunity to reflect deeply on the meaning of peace and how it can be built in a world still marked by conflict and division. Speakers included Mr. Hajime Moriyasu, head coach of the Japan national football team and a native of Nagasaki, and Mr. Maher Nasser, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, who delivered messages on the potential of sports for peacebuilding and the importance of youth engagement and international cooperation.

In addition, Mr. Shigemitsu Tanaka, Co-Chair of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), recipient of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, and Mr. Carlos Umaña, a member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and Co-President of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), recipient of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, spoke about efforts toward nuclear disarmament and called on participants to recognize that the future of peace rests in the hands of the next generation.

Young leaders from Japan and abroad gathered at the forum to engage in lively discussions on topics such as nuclear disarmament and conflict resolution. The Okayama University students actively participated in talk sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities with participants from various countries, and deepened their understanding of peace and social issues from multiple perspectives, including activities such as folding origami cranes as a symbol of prayer for peace.

The One Young World Summit 2025 is scheduled to be held in Munich, Germany, from November 3 to 6. Okayama University is currently recruiting student delegates for the summit.

◯Next-Generation Leaders Global Summit: One Young World (OYW)
Declared at the World Economic Forum (commonly known as the “Davos Meeting”; headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland) in 2009 and first held in London, United Kingdom, in 2010, One Young World is one of the world’s largest summits, bringing together young next-generation leaders (aged 18–32) representing more than 190 countries once each year.

Under the guidance of global leaders, participants collaborate to address pressing global challenges facing humanity. As a worldwide initiative involving collaboration among government, industry, and academia, the summit aims to develop next-generation leaders capable of solving global issues. Its scale and international network have continued to expand rapidly.

Okayama University has participated as an official partner since the summit held in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2015 and dispatches two student delegates each year.