[Feature: Toward a Campus of Mutual Support] Roundtable Discussion: Thinking About "Leaving No One Behind" and Collaboration

This April marks the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Keio University. The Office has established the "Charter for the Promotion of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion," which states: "In today's world where diverse values coexist, a society must be realized where people from various backgrounds—including age, gender, SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, culture, nationality, race, creed, and lifestyle—can respect each other's dignity without anyone being isolated or excluded from society." We have been moving forward to build such an environment.

Today, we have gathered people who have cooperated in promoting such an inclusive environment and who are active in various sectors of society. I would like to think about diversity on campus, creating a comfortable place for everyone to belong, and how we can communicate these ideas to society.

On campus, we are returning to face-to-face interactions after the online shift caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are rediscovering the meaning of "jinkan kosai (society)"—that is, actual physical interaction. In addition to learning in the classroom, I feel that interaction between students is also important, and this has further increased awareness of creating a place to belong within the campus.

From the perspective of the SDGs, we often hear the phrase "leave no one behind." Another common keyword is "diversity." It is sometimes expressed as Diversity & Inclusion or DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). What happens when we apply this "diversity" to the campus as a place?

Is it about everyone being accepted and respected, and feeling comfortable because there are many different kinds of people? Feeling that it is okay for you to be there? I think it's more than that. When we emphasize "diversity," we expect that something will be born from diverse perspectives and ways of thinking. In a company, different opinions might lead to active discussion and innovation, directly linking to corporate value and profit.

So, how should we think about this at a university? When a campus becomes a place where diverse people gather, what will be activated and what will happen? If we assume that everyone is fine as they are, then perhaps it is not the individuals who need to change, but society and the campus that must change. If diverse ideas and opinions based on diversity are realized on campus, what role does the university play at that time?

Since you are all graduates of Keio University, I would first like to ask you to recall your former campus life and the places where you felt you belonged, and tell us about what a campus should be like or what kind of place you wish it to be. Mr. Sugita, shall we start with you?

It has been exactly 10 years since I graduated. I feel I've had a strange experience because I was able-bodied when I entered, but I had an accident during my student days and became a wheelchair user. This significantly changed how I saw the campus, where I belonged, and my opportunities for interaction.

When I could no longer do things I had taken for granted, I strongly felt, "Wait, do I have a place at this university?" After the accident, I transferred from the Faculty of Economics to the Faculty of Policy Management. More than 10 years ago, the Mita Campus was very hilly, and after consulting with the university, we decided that SFC would be better for attending in a wheelchair, so I transferred. On the other hand, I had a desire to study economics, and when my dream of playing rugby in the Rugby Football Club could no longer be fulfilled, my teammates were gone, and I looked for a place to belong, but I felt it wasn't there.

In terms of classes, if you are in a wheelchair or using a cane, you can't make it between classrooms in time. As a result, rather than studying what I wanted to do, I started building a curriculum based on ease of movement between classrooms. I couldn't go to the cafeteria, and I remember often eating lunch in the restroom to avoid being seen.

That said, there were people who created a place for me there. My family and friends, of course, but the academic affairs staff were very supportive, and the presence of such people was significant. When I met Professor Okuda at Mita last year after 10 years, I felt that Keio had changed so much. Now that the Office of Accessible Education has been established within the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, I feel like the gates are opening wide, and I feel a bit envious.

So the place where you belonged when you entered the university changed midway through. Was the Rugby Football Club your place to belong at first?

Since I was an internal student and spent three years of high school in Hiyoshi, I had acquaintances in every faculty and a sense that I shared the same mindset as everyone else, so I certainly had a place to belong. The Rugby Football Club was also definitely a place where I belonged.

In terms of diversity, since graduating, I often think it was great that I could go to SFC. I think campuses definitely have their own "colors." Meeting students studying at SFC and learning together with them has been very beneficial for my subsequent career and way of life.

It is unfortunate that there were barriers at Mita even though it was over 10 years ago, but it is good that a path opened up for you by attending a different campus like SFC.

Now that the student support system is in place, I think it's a great thing that even if you have a disability, you can study at Mita if you want to.

Next, Ms. Tanaka, how about you?

I also entered Keio University from high school (Keio Girls Senior High School) and graduated from the Department of Political Science in the Faculty of Law. In high school, I joined the baton twirling club, danced in the Alps stands when the Keio High School baseball team made its first appearance in the invitational tournament in 45 years, and was passionate about school events.

In university, I belonged to the Athletic Association Golf Team. In my seminar, I studied modern Chinese politics, and at the same time, I participated in an intensive course where I could study a second foreign language four times a week. I spent my student life with the attitude of trying anything I liked or wanted to do.

While Diversity & Inclusion is frequently discussed now, I think diversity has been a very big theme for me since I was a child. When I was in elementary school, my hobbies didn't quite match those of other children, and I struggled with not having a place to belong. Also, when I was in the 6th grade, my family moved to New York for my father's work, and starting at a local school while barely speaking English was a major experience that continues to influence me today.

Furthermore, when I was in high school, my younger sister was born with Down syndrome. Becoming sensitive to the prejudices that people, including myself, tend to hold about disabilities, and experiencing the gap between those prejudices and reality, was also very significant.

All of these experiences influenced me to aspire to be an NHK announcer, and during my job hunt, I always said, "I want to convey the stories of people living their lives to the fullest." You can't understand others just through your own daily life. But by conveying the lives of various people on television, I hoped to broaden the values of viewers and make society even a little easier to live in.

Even after leaving NHK, I continue to do interviews and work as a program caster with similar thoughts. Until last year, I was in charge of a radio program called "Diversity News," where we invited various experts every week to talk about human rights, disabilities, LGBTQ issues, and policies for children.

Also, since last autumn, I have been studying public policy with international students from various countries at a graduate school called the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), and I am made to think about diversity there every day as well.

Listening to you, it seems everyone has experienced diversity. It might be important for high school students who have never been exposed to diversity to come to campus and have various experiences there.

I think it's important to have several places to belong and several connections, not just one. For example, in my case, looking back, I think it was very important that I was able to learn about various values through different connections such as club activities, seminars, French classes, and large lecture classes.

Multiple places to belong. Now, Mr. Iwahashi, how about you?

I am currently helping with the "Kyosei Cafe" project and "SOGI x Creating a Place to Belong," which are starting up at the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. I entered the Faculty of Letters in 2002 and stayed at Keio for quite a long time until 2015. I was at Mita as a student for over 10 years.

The reason I got involved in "creating a place to belong" is that I am a member of a sexual minority myself. When I was at Mita as a student, if you asked if I had a place to belong, I have the impression that there wasn't much space on campus where I could feel at ease. So, when such a movement finally started at Keio, I decided to participate to help create a more comfortable space for young people today than I had.

While adding the caveat that there are diverse ways of being for different people, I don't think one must always be open about being a sexual minority on campus. Even if I wasn't particularly open at school, I had friends in clubs and seminars. However, if you ask if I could talk openly about my various worries, that wasn't the case.

Regarding research themes, nowadays almost any field will accept research based on one's own identity, but back then, for example, when I said I wanted to do research on gay issues, I was sometimes told, "You can do it if you're okay with the assumption that there will be no academic posts for you afterward." That was the case at any university at the time. Since research on identity was considered risky, there was advice to, for example, do theoretical research first to secure a post before tackling that theme. Even so, I am grateful to my supervisor, Professor Hideo Hama, for defending me and my research.

It is truly a good thing that the environment now allows young sociology researchers to utilize their own identities and engage in research related to sexual diversity and intersectionality. At that time, it wasn't an era where there were centers for gender and sexuality on university campuses. I think International Christian University was the earliest, but at that time, Keio had almost no laboratories with gender studies as a theme, so I conducted my research activities while receiving support from gender studies professors at other universities.

Currently, I am active in an organization called akta, operating a community center in Shinjuku Ni-chome, which is a base for HIV and STI prevention and awareness. Shinjuku Ni-chome is like a melting pot of diversity where truly diverse people come, but previously there weren't many places there where people could talk about STIs and HIV with peace of mind. So, we continue our activities while prioritizing the creation of a space in the community center where we guarantee psychological safety so people feel it's okay to talk.

Since the themes inevitably become heavy, we use that place as a base to transmit interesting and important things for the community, focusing on how to increase the number of peers. I think those experiences might be applicable to the "Kyosei Cafe" that is about to start.

At the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, we are attempting various forms of support to create an environment where "no one is left behind," perhaps with an eye toward students who feel strained on campus.

The "Kyosei Cafe" that Mr. Iwahashi is involved in is one of them. While some other universities have established centers for gender diversity, we are thinking about what Keio University can do, and we are working on the idea that the first thing to do is to create a place where students can safely find peers.

The Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion has three pillars: work-life balance, barrier-free access, and diversity. The "Kyosei Cafe" is an initiative related to diversity. For barrier-free access, we have newly launched the Office of Accessible Education.

Regarding work-life balance, attention inevitably goes to childcare and nursing care support, but we are thinking about what it means to go one step further. Can we truly say to female students that Keio University is a place where women can shine? Are we depicting a future where they can play an active role? I want female students to envision their future and think about what kind of life they want to lead. So, we started the life-plan seminar series "Future Me," allowing students to see people like Ms. Tanaka, Asako Tsuji, and Honoka Kamikura, who are having diverse experiences in society.

Also, faculty members seem to be surprisingly lonely, or rather, seeking connections. I thought it would be empowering to start a mentoring program that connects female researchers in their 30s and 40s with women in leadership positions within Keio University.

When campuses are different, faculty members have no opportunity to get to know each other at all, and if fields are different, they don't know what kind of research others are doing or what their daily lives are like. I think that by getting to know each other, they might feel encouraged. Although Professor Shimizu and I belong to different faculties and campuses, we connected through this mentoring program, and I am learning about things like the Yagami Campus.

I spent my elementary, junior high, and high school years in public schools in Saitama Prefecture. Therefore, when I entered, I wondered if someone like me should even be at Keio University, but when I came to the Faculty of Science and Technology, there were many people interested in similar things, so I think it was comfortable. I was able to get along with the small number of female students in my year, and I think I spent my time comfortably.

The most comfortable time during my four years of university was after I was assigned to a laboratory in my fourth year. I was in the lab from morning till night, doing experiments, reading papers, and learning things from my seniors. Going to class was a life of saying "I'm going" and "I'm back" from the lab, so that was truly my place to belong.

I belonged to the laboratory of Professor Kohei Itoh, who is now the President, back when he was a full-time lecturer. Looking back, it was a laboratory with a very good atmosphere. It was so comfortable that I wanted to study there until my Doctoral Programs.

Then Professor Itoh advised me, "If you're going for a doctorate, go abroad," and I spent five years at a graduate school in the United States, where I was able to get to know truly various types of people.

That was the first time I experienced being a minority. I didn't have much awareness of being a minority as a woman when I was in Japan, but in the U.S., there were many people around me with that awareness, and I finally realized that women are a minority. Also, there were people in the same grade who had children, and I realized that this kind of life is also possible.

After studying abroad, there was a period when I looked back and wondered what I wanted to do from a perspective different from research, and whether just doing research was enough. At that time, just as I had been encouraged, I felt a strong desire to convey my experiences to young people and give them opportunities to learn various perspectives, and I have been working at Keio as an associate professor since April 2018.

The reason I chose Keio as my workplace was that Keio was a very comfortable place for me, so I thought I would be able to voice my opinions here. That is exactly psychological safety, and now that five years have passed since I joined the Faculty of Science and Technology, I think it is a comfortable place to work as a faculty member.

However, I don't think all faculty and staff feel as comfortable as I do. Also, thinking about the students, I think they truly had no place to belong when they started taking online classes due to the pandemic. Even after returning to campus for face-to-face classes, I often receive consultations from students saying they have no friends and can't do homework together, or they don't know who to talk to.

I feel a bit anxious about where the students' place to belong is until their third year, before they enter a laboratory. It's fine for those in clubs, but there are students who didn't have the chance to join due to COVID, so I sometimes wonder where they are during breaks.

Listening to everyone's stories, I understand well that a place where you can connect with people and feel safe is a place to belong, and it's better to have several such places rather than just one.

Students are now returning to face-to-face classes, but once they step out of the classroom, they might be searching for a place to belong. I hear that club membership rates and numbers are decreasing at other universities, but fortunately, they haven't dropped that much at Keio University. Even so, perhaps because activity time is less than before, I get the impression that they are not very good at making friends or communicating.

Next, let's think about the promotion of diversity. In reality, data clearly shows that diversity is not prioritized in our society. For example, according to the "Gender Gap Index" published by the World Economic Forum in 2022, Japan ranks 116th out of 146 countries, the lowest among the G7 countries. The gender wage gap is also large compared to other countries; in 2021, the wage level of female general workers was 75.2 when that of male general workers was set at 100 (Gender Equality Bureau).

Since such numbers make issues visible, I don't think showing data is a bad thing. Also, numerical targets can be a means of improvement.

Legal frameworks are also being established. The "Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities" was revised in 2021, and the "Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace" in 2022. With such laws, target values can be further set. What do you think about setting numerical targets based on numbers and laws and working toward them? Does it make things harder to do? Or is it because of these target values that initiatives move forward? Or can diversity be shown by some other yardstick?

While putting various attempts into practice, I always have the question of whether the promotion of a Kyosei (inclusive) environment can be measured by numbers. What do you think?

I believe that numbers and systems are important yardsticks. For people with disabilities, there are specific things that must be changed, such as removing steps for smooth movement. Last year, I had many opportunities to interview LGBTQ individuals on my radio program, and they repeatedly emphasized that spiritual arguments like "let's be considerate" are insufficient; if systems don't change, people's behavior ultimately won't change, and the current situation for those who are suffering won't change.

On the other hand, as you say, I think that alone is not enough. If only numbers are highlighted, the original purpose might be left behind. The satisfaction and sense of fit of the people there—the feeling of whether those people are truly satisfied—is also important.

For example, as Professor Shimizu mentioned, feeling that the opinions you voice are respected. That kind of thing is very important. The last program I was in charge of at NHK was "Close-up Gendai+," and television stations are very much a male-dominated society with few women. Also, while there were many staff members in their 40s and 50s, I was the only one in my early 30s among the performers, so I was sometimes expected to make comments that represented the opinions of young women in the program.

While that was very important to me and I felt a sense of responsibility, I also occasionally felt as if only that was being sought from me, and there were times when I felt I was not being respected as an individual. I think an environment where I feel respected not just as a woman in her 30s, but as Izumi Tanaka, is also important.

Even when we say diversity, there are many kinds of diversity. It's not just people on the minority side like women, people with disabilities, or LGBTQ individuals; obviously, there are various differences among men as well. Ultimately, every single person is a different human being, so it is important for each individual to first have curiosity about the person in front of them and a desire to value that person. I believe we must not forget that improvements in systems and numerical targets should come after that.

I think what Ms. Tanaka said is very important. For example, words like SDGs, diversity, LGBTQ, and variety are used a lot lately, but as these words become established, voices are rising from various communities saying "no more lip service"—stop using nice-sounding words based on profit-and-loss calculations or cost-performance.

For example, an LGBTQ parade is held every April in Tokyo, and it has become quite a large parade now. Initially, some companies seemed to participate because it was a target for marketing, but as time passes, discussions are being held within both the community and the companies about whether these corporate initiatives are truly helpful to the community. On the other hand, some are starting to think carefully about their approach. The perspective of whether it truly helps the target people and the community is very important.

Professor Emeritus Masayoshi Tarui, who is a researcher in ethics, is one of the people who guided me into research regarding HIV. He persistently told me that when conducting LGBTQ or minority movements, we must never forget that it is a fight not only for the right to equality but also for the right to life.

At the time, there were parts I didn't fully understand about what that meant, but I understand it now to mean that we shouldn't just say there are diverse people and they are no different from everyone else, but we must not forget that it is a movement regarding the right of those people to live safely and healthily.

When I hear young sexual minority students talking about their future, thinking they might be able to marry the person they are currently dating, I think it has become a very good era. On the other hand, while partnerships are recognized, the hurdle for recognizing a same-sex marriage system is quite high in Japan. Incorporating it into a system is a matter related to the right to life. For example, a partner died of an illness. But because there was no system, the relationship could only be explained as friends, so they couldn't be there for the final moments—there are truly many such stories.

When we think as far as systems that guarantee such relationships, I believe "no more lip service" is important at universities and everywhere else.

Not just saying it. That's why systems provide a push. Does Mr. Sugita feel the same way?

Yes. Speaking of numbers, I remember my job-hunting days as a student. Everyone says very palatable things, like "our company meets this percentage of the employment rate for people with disabilities" or "the promotion rate for women is about this much." It's not that that's bad, but in reality, it might be an employment format with very limited discretion, or a special subsidiary company where people with disabilities are gathered and work in one location.

Physical support might indeed be easier that way, but I also wonder how that stands as "diversity." In that sense, I feel from experience that it's not just about chasing numbers.

In the end, when it came to how I chose a company, I judged based on how much the person interviewing me in front of me was truly trying to see my abilities. There is the word "equity," and it's not that I want special treatment or to be coddled. I just want to be able to demonstrate my abilities to the maximum within the necessary support. I think that is the most important thing.

I have a spinal cord injury, so I understand that well. However, disabilities are diverse, such as visual or hearing impairments, and there are worlds that cannot be understood just by looking from the outside; facing this is a very difficult thing.

There is a world I saw by becoming disabled later in life, but there are also many worlds I don't know. However, I strongly feel that there is a world I saw because I became disabled, and by accepting that, my own breadth has expanded. In that sense, I want to continue to experience diversity and pursue what true equality really is.

We only know about ourselves, and it's not easy to know each other. That's exactly why I want to make the university a place for deepening mutual understanding.

By interacting with people who value diverse backgrounds on campus as a place of learning, and because of that experience, one can connect in the same way after going out into society. When I think about how much of a diverse environment has been created on the current campus, it's a difficult point.

One thing I want to say about numerical targets in universities is that regarding the number of female faculty members and the number of employees with disabilities, for example, it is decided that the number of female faculty members must be a certain percentage or higher in every committee. This can lead to women of the same generation having high committee attendance rates and becoming unable to do their research.

When my child was very small, I felt a bit of anger, thinking that I couldn't do that much committee activity when I was busy with that as well. And now that my child-rearing has settled down a bit, I feel that maybe I am the one who needs to speak up.

People won't be convinced unless the activities we are doing are quantified. When I wondered what to do, I thought of referring to corporate examples and trying to take a diversity score once. A group of faculty members in the Faculty of Science and Technology created a modified version and conducted it for faculty and staff. What we found from that was that there are many people who don't know about the systems even though they exist. People were surprised to learn that there was a place for female students to rest on the Yagami Campus, or a prayer room for Muslims.

Raising that score leads to increased interest among the people on campus, so I think it's important to have indicators that measure awareness rather than just percentages.

As you say, increasing awareness is very important. Even if we start various initiatives, it's most discouraging to be told "I didn't know." For example, we are distributing free sanitary products for female students in financial need, but sometimes we are told, "This is the first time I've heard of it." Perhaps interest in other people is thinning now, or information that doesn't concern oneself is hard to receive. I hope the campus becomes a place where everyone shares both interest and information.

Regarding SOGI (Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity), the partnership systems of each local government alone are insufficient, but we can expect improvement, even if slow, as various systems and support are introduced in various places. I think one way is to try everything, including small things, within the campus, which will also increase awareness.

The next thing I want to ask is what should be done to create a community where people can feel safe. First, I want to ask Mr. Iwahashi about the "Kyosei Cafe"—why a cafe? Why is a place for "having tea" needed?

Based on my experience so far, I believe that cafe-style initiatives are very important.

A great thing about universities is that they have physical spaces where people can drop by casually. There is a kind of serendipity that occurs when people just happen to wander in. If a cafe—a space prepared by people with a high interest in certain issues—shows that 'it's really interesting over here' and operates in an open way so that those who drop by can join the group, I think a community will gradually form.

About 10 years ago, I organized an HIV prevention and awareness event on the outdoor stage at the Mita Festival. Even if someone like me spoke on a stage amidst the hustle and bustle of the Mita Festival, no one would listen. So, I invited a famous drag queen from Shinjuku Ni-chome to perform a show while raising awareness. It was a wonderful performance with a theme questioning the gender binary, but they kept taking off more and more clothes. I thought, 'Oh, if this goes all the way, I'll lose my student status' (laughs).

But what happened then was that a dance club was waiting in the wings for the next slot, and they saw the drag queen's performance and said, 'This is super cool!' and started dancing around them. More and more people gathered, and when we finally put out just one message about HIV and sexual health, they reacted very strongly to it.

So, if we do something attractive and fun and show that engaging with it can be this interesting, we can increase the number of allies, not just those directly involved. If we can do that, I think cafes have great potential.

Another reason I thought such places are very important is that, as I mentioned earlier, I didn't really open up about being a sexual minority while I was at university. When I was a graduate student, I became known for my HIV activities and research in Shinjuku Ni-chome, but after that, among the Keio students I met when I was a student, there were cases of people suffering from mental health issues or committing suicide because they were struggling with being a sexual minority. There were also stories of people contracting HIV.

I feel that if I had been open back then and there had been a space at the university where such things could be discussed, even if prevention wasn't possible, we might have been able to provide support at an earlier stage. I think it is very important to create places where people can speak safely in various locations.

One of the initiatives of the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is the 'Body Seminar.' I cannot forget what Junko Mitsuhashi said during the session on 'Transgender' issues. She commented that while universities must, of course, provide knowledge, it is also important for them to be a place of refuge. I was struck by her question of whether the university has a role as a safe place before entering society.

It would be even better if it becomes a place where people feel safe, where they can get the information they need, or where there are people they can talk to casually—a place they can drop into anytime and visit even after graduation.

Various students attend the university. The 'Kyosei Cafe' is still in the planning stages regarding what kind of place it will actually become, but unless many students say 'this is interesting,' it will become a limited space for only a few people. So, it may be necessary to create a place that feels more open and safe.

Mr. Iwahashi mentioned that he was involved in various off-campus activities since he was a student, and students can engage with society even before they enter it professionally. I think it is also important to properly find and support students who are trying out various things and challenging themselves to express themselves in such settings.

For example, I donate to an NPO that supports employment for people with disabilities and I also serve as an MC at fundraising parties. In those activities, high school students from international schools help out proactively, and I thought that was wonderful.

I believe that students can realize they are living within society by having such points of contact with it. What the university can do is properly evaluate those students who are taking on positive challenges. And I think there are also places where we can provide some kind of push or support.

I hope that through the university, people can have experiences that make them realize, 'Oh, I am part of the majority.' For example, regarding topics like sanitary products, there were worlds I only began to see after I got married. Now that my child is two years old, there are worlds I am seeing through child-rearing as well.

I first became interested in LGBTQ issues when I went to see the movie 'Bohemian Rhapsody' with my wife. I am ashamed of my lack of literacy, but when I learned the word 'heterosexual' there, it was very fresh to think, 'Oh, that's what I am.' I don't know if 'majority' is the right way to put it, but for the first time, I felt like I could stand in the same place or think about LGBTQ issues. I was very happy about that experience.

I think knowing the words is important as a starting point. I thought it would be great if there were a cafe as such a place.

So, if there is a place where people gather naturally and can talk about such topics naturally, students' understanding will deepen further.

Using the term SOGI is also important. Rather than just saying 'let's try to understand LGBTQ people as others,' as you just mentioned, it becomes a catalyst for communication, like realizing 'Oh, I am heterosexual' or 'I have a different sexual orientation.'

Giving students awareness is truly important, and I feel we must support them.

In the Faculty of Science and Technology, there may be fewer students doing extracurricular activities than in other faculties, but for example, during the Yagami Festival, we once distributed ramen from a special subsidiary company that employs people with disabilities. Currently, the Diversity & Inclusion Working Group of the Faculty of Science and Technology is discussing revising the accessibility map. At that time, we decided that instead of just faculty and staff thinking about it, we should listen to the voices of students, so we are going to exchange opinions and work with a student organization.

At that time, since it's hard to talk in a formal meeting setting, there was a proposal to have a meal together to create a relaxed atmosphere and talk about various topics. For example, international students are also a minority, so we want to make the campus a comfortable place for them as well. Also, for people with disabilities, the Yagami Campus has many steep slopes and stairs, so I hope we can discuss what should be done.

However, while interested students will participate, it doesn't reach the ears of students who aren't, so I believe it's necessary for faculty and staff to create opportunities by holding events and seminars or reaching out to many students.

At the Hiyoshi Campus, we held a 'Children's Cafeteria' for the first time late last year, and I realized that a cafeteria with a clear purpose of eating is easy for people to gather at casually. Children came from nearby elementary schools to talk with university students and participate in quiz contests and games together. Looking at the surveys, everyone wrote that they enjoyed those things.

The university students also said they learned a lot. Whether it's a cafe or something else, I thought that as long as there is an encounter triggered by something different, various interactions will be born from there.

Regarding the relationship between the university and society, we must think about what kind of messages we should send out. For Keio University, what would be the best way to communicate our diversity initiatives or community-building efforts?

Empowerment and encouragement for what students are doing is very important. And it is very important to figure out how to share the experiences of people who are putting various things into practice. For example, the media tends to pick up 'good practices' like 'even though they are a student, they can do this,' but for the people there, the hints for living are actually found in small communications in the cafeteria, like 'Hey, tell me, why is it going so well for you?'

In the field of public health, we call it 'positive deviance,' but I think it would be good if a community or cafe could serve as a catalyst for picking up the voices of people whose achievements aren't necessarily extraordinary and who think of themselves as normal, yet things are going well for them.

Regarding diversity, I think there are many cases where other universities are more advanced. On the other hand, I hear from faculty and staff at other universities in various places that they have high expectations for Keio to take action.

I heard from a student at a certain university that having a place to belong regarding diversity was one of the major reasons they chose that university. I think the fact that such stories are coming out is very hopeful.

At the time, the era was different and I had some pretty tough experiences at Mita, but I hope that a more enjoyable space can be created here for young students and that we can hear many such voices at Keio as well.

It would be ideal if, when prospective students choose a university, they apply thinking that Keio University will accept them and that there is a place for them here.

It is said that Keio's initiatives are lagging behind other universities, but when we discussed this in the working group of the Faculty of Science and Technology, the conversation turned to how people at Keio originally lived in an atmosphere of mutual respect, never discriminating and helping those in trouble, so perhaps things were working well even without purposely creating systems.

Another thing we noticed in the working group is that when we re-read the philosophy of Keio University and the words of Yukichi Fukuzawa, they are full of terms related to diversity, inclusion, and equity. Perhaps that part is not being properly communicated to the world.

It's not just the part about 'Heaven does not create one person above another,' but also 'jinkan kosai (society),' 'taji soron' (many matters, many opinions), and various other words. Opinions have been raised that if we think about modern DEI from the perspective of reinterpreting Yukichi Fukuzawa's words, something that everyone can agree on might be born.

Currently, the working group has named it 'KeiDGs' after the SDGs, and we are thinking that if we can create something that breaks down into action goals, it might be easier to spread within and outside the Juku. We think we can clearly communicate to people inside and to Keio University alumni that Keio is doing these things.

When it comes to communicating to society, attracting interest is important, and I think a bit of exaggerated promotion is also necessary. We are also discussing that it might be appropriate for Keio to borrow the words of Yukichi Fukuzawa at such times.

I also believe that Yukichi Fukuzawa's words and philosophy are very important. When we say Diversity & Inclusion, it is sometimes taken as 'everyone is different and everyone is good, so anything goes,' but I think it is something based on valuing a minimum set of common norms, especially in an organization.

In the case of Keio University, I think students study at the same school because they empathize with the school's philosophy, such as independence and self-respect, so it's about reaffirming what it means to study at Keio University.

Learning about differences while at university is also very important. I think places and opportunities where students who don't seem to have common ground at first glance can gather are also important. Even if it seems difficult at first, in the end, they have the commonality of having chosen Keio University as a place of learning. In that respect, I have hope that they can connect in some way. And I think it is also very important to promote the philosophy of Keio University to the outside world.

Diversity & Inclusion means that even if people have different backgrounds and values, those differences are welcomed and they are part of the same group. The word 'belonging' is also often used. It refers to the sense of belonging, the awareness that one belongs there. In the case of Keio University, I wonder if there is something extra there.

I think what Professor Shimizu said about us not having done nothing is exactly right.

Exactly as you say, when I was a university student, there was a lot of great support. The feelings of those people probably haven't changed at all. When I became a working adult, I had a very strong desire to earn a proper living myself. I wanted to show that having a disability has nothing to do with earning money.

When there is someone who has a disability but wants to study, I think it is very important to be able to say that Keio is fine because it has a support office. Communicating that to the outside is very important.

If you ask me what a good idea would be, I end up with ideas like preparing wheelchairs and everyone trying to row them around the Mita Campus (laughs). Even so, I think students might realize 10 years later that 'that's what doing that meant.'

Keio University has the ideal of becoming a leader for all of society. I would like to continue striving to promote a collaborative environment, with the help of Keio University alumni, so that the university campus also becomes a microcosm of future society as a place of leadership. What kind of community and what kind of collaborative environment should we aim for to create that microcosm? I'd like to ask each of you for a final word.

I want students to enter society with hope. To be honest, I don't think there is an environment that is perfectly satisfying for everyone from the start. However, for example, when there is a problem and they want to change it, the sense of security that Keio University is a place where they can actually change things with their own power, including systems, will lead to the ability to raise their voices even if problems occur when they enter society.

While talking about how to make things better is important, as a premise, I hope Keio University will be a place that listens to each individual's voice and can change.

In places where people from various positions gather, the more the gaps and differences in positions become visible just by gathering, the more people may get hurt by various differences. How do we protect the psychological safety of that place? Therefore, it is necessary to create a system for solid facilitation and people who facilitate in such places. Otherwise, I think it will conversely become a form where 'everyone is different and everyone is good,' but it's not useful to anyone.

I really think what Professor Shimizu said about Keio originally having that kind of culture is true. However, whether that has spread to prospective students or the outside world is another matter. After going out into the world, I realized once again how comfortable Keio was. That might be why I feel I can work hard outside as well, so I want it to continue to be such a place, and I think it's fine to put these activities out there more.

Listening to the talk today, I feel like I've been given a big homework assignment that there are many things faculty members should do. I felt that giving students diverse experiences is still not enough. When they enter university, they might think that a distinguished professor is suddenly standing far away on the podium. We must create an atmosphere where it's easy to talk not only about academics but also about various social issues and topics. If we do that, I think the campus will naturally become a comfortable place.

I think seminars that give people the experience of being a minority are also an option. When I was pregnant and my belly got big, I realized for the first time how grateful I was for handrails on buses and trains, but you don't understand such things unless you experience them yourself. I thought it was important to gradually give students such opportunities.

Since learning at Keio consists of both curricular and extracurricular activities as two wheels of a cart, I hope we can provide education where diversity can be experienced even within the curriculum.

Being a 'place that can be changed' is exactly what's important, and I think it would be ideal for everyone to experience that and head out into society with the confidence that they can change things with their own power.

Mr. Iwahashi mentioned that when various people gather, a facilitator becomes necessary, and I want students to learn from the figure of such a facilitator and come to play the same role. Perhaps such leaders will be required in the future. Not just leading, but being able to bring together diverse opinions. I think that connects to the campus as a place to belong and makes it easier for everyone to spend time there. I want to value such aspects and communicate them.

Thank you very much for today.