Theme: “Eighty Years After the War II: What Can We Do Today?”

2025 Tokyo Metropolitan Mita Senior High School SymposiumTheme: “Eighty Years After the War II: What Can We Do Today?”

Date: Sat., March 28, 2026   9:30a.m. Venue: Music Auditorium, Tokyo Metropolitan Mita Senior High School

Following the success of last year’s event, Tokyo Metropolitan Mita High School Symposium was held again this year. A total of ten members from the Minato UNESCO Association and the Tokyo Council of UNESCO Association participated in the event.
The symposium was organized and operated by members of the school’s UNESCO Committee, including students who had participated as presenters at the Minato UNESCO Association’s 2025 symposium.

　The theme of this year’s symposium was:“As memories of war gradually become more distant, what can we learn from the past and what can we pass on to future generations as we mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II? Through dialogue, let us reflect together on what we can do today and on the meaning of peace.”

　In the activity report of their UNESCO Committee, the students shared their experiences of participating in the Minato UNESCO Association’s symposium. They explained that presenting their ideas in front of a large audience had been a valuable learning experience. They were encouraged by the positive responses from participants and gained a deeper appreciation of the importance of incorporating young people’s perspectives into discussions about peace and society.  The students also reported on their experiences serving as facilitators for group discussions during the Japanese Speech Contest and Cross-cultural Awareness Workshop organized by the Minato UNESCO Association.

　Following the activity report, a storyteller from the Shokei-kan, a national facility that collects, preserves and exhibits verbal testimony, historical materials, books and information about various hardships experienced during and after the war by sick and wounded servicemen, as well as their families, etc., and provides an opportunity for posterity to learn about those hardships, delivered a talk on the memories and experiences of those affected by war, where group discussions under the theme “Reflecting on Peace Through Memories of War” were held in which students exchanged their thoughts and impressions.

　The UNESCO Committee at Tokyo Metropolitan Mita High School consists of two representatives from each class. The school has many students who have a strong interest in international understanding, making the committee one of the most popular and active student organizations. Its members are engaged in a wide range of activities aimed at promoting peace, dialogue, and global awareness. In their closing remarks, the students expressed their hope to continue organizing the symposium in the coming year. A student who had presented at last year’s symposium and has since entered university also expressed interest in participating in future events organized by the Minato UNESCO Association. We look forward to further exchanges and cooperation with these young people, whose enthusiasm and commitment embody the future of UNESCO activities.

(Written by Sato R., Standing Director, International Science and Culture Committee, and translated by SUDA Y., PR & Internet Committee Associate)