2015.03.25
Yuichi Kobayashi, a first-year master's student at the Graduate School of Media and Governance, has been selected as a 2015 Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum (Davos Forum).
The Global Shapers Community is an international organization of the World Economic Forum (WEF), established in 2011. It is composed of young people under the age of 32 from around the world who are active in various fields such as politics, science, and economics, with the aim of undertaking projects to solve social issues in their communities. Approximately 3,000 people worldwide have been selected as Global Shapers, including about 60 young people from Japan. Transcending national and organizational boundaries, they are engaged in various projects, aiming to build a better future.
Mr. Kobayashi was selected as a member this time after being recognized by the World Economic Forum headquarters (Switzerland) for his achievements in calligraphy, which he has practiced since the age of five, and his track record of continuous activities at welfare facilities for the elderly.
Comment from Yuichi Kobayashi
I have been a member of Professor Heizo Takenaka's seminar since my second year in the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care. From Professor Takenaka, I learned the importance of studying with "kokorozashi" (a sense of purpose or ambition). I have the "kokorozashi" to create a "Japan" that attracts global attention. Through my activities in calligraphy, I hope to further expand the network of "sasaeai" (mutual support) on various occasions. Furthermore, the recognition I received in the form of The President's Honorable Mention from President Seike in the 2011 and 2013 academic years enabled me to further advance my calligraphy therapy activities at facilities for the elderly.
In the "Li Lou" chapter of "Mencius," there is a passage that says, "Never has there been one possessed of complete sincerity who did not move others."
This means, "If you act with utmost sincerity, you will surely move people's hearts." From now on, as a member of the World Economic Forum, I will cooperate with other members who share the same "kokorozashi" and hope to convey to people around the world works filled with Japan's "magokoro" (true heart or sincerity) and its spirit.