On November 24, the Global Engagement Center hosted a special talk show at the Co-Creation Commons (OUX), welcoming actress and model Ms. Nicole Ishida as a guest for the closing event of the “Dream” exhibition.

Okayama University is currently implementing a multicultural collaborative learning program under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) FY2024 project “Support for Creating Social Impact through the Internationalization of Universities.” As part of this initiative, the Global Engagement Center offers a liberal arts course titled “Solving the Planetary Society Issue -Learning career paths from the World’s Next-Generation Leaders-.” Aiming to cultivate sustainability leaders, the course features lectures by global leaders from abroad and encourages students to engage in dialogue in both Japanese and English while articulating their own “dreams.” Approximately 70 student works were exhibited at the Okayama University Library as “Dreams of Okayama University Students.” The talk session was held on the final day of this exhibition.

In addition to Ms. Ishida, the event featured Vice President Atsufumi Yokoi (Global Engagement); Mr. Keita Katayama, a student of Okayama Ichinomiya Senior High School who participated in the One Young World (OYW) Munich Summit; Ms. Manapo Ishikawa, a fifth-year student in the Faculty of Medicine; and Ms. Sai Miyake, a first-year student enrolled in the “Solving the Planetary Society Issue” course. The speakers shared reports on the OYW Summit and engaged in a cross-talk session centered on the theme of “dreams.” Approximately 60 audience, including students who enrolled in the course, attended the event and participated in lively exchanges.

Ms. Ishida spoke about how she began her career as a model after winning the grand prize at a popular fashion show while still a university student. Although she had initially aspired to contribute to society as a radiological technologist, she decided to leave university in order to pursue what she described as “something I can only do now.”

She also shared how her passion for diving led her to witness coral bleaching firsthand, deepening her awareness of environmental issues. Motivated by her desire to protect the ocean she loves, she collaborated with a company to develop reef-safe sunscreen as part of her sustainability efforts.

In the cross-talk with Vice President Yokoi, key messages were conveyed to the audience: even if dreams evolve over time, the underlying aspiration to “contribute to society” often remains constant and may later connect at a higher level; students were encouraged to explore themselves and articulate their identities in order to discover their dreams; and when faced with uncertainty, to choose the path that excites and inspires them. The session concluded with warm encouragement for all participants.