Diversity Workshop

What comes to your mind when you hear about Diversity? I had the opportunity to participate in the Crossing Borders workshop on “Diversity” for Japanese youth, and I must say it was an enriching experience. As a member of the Crossing Borders team, this workshop allowed me to interact with people from Japan for the first time, and it was both exciting and eye-opening. Prior to this workshop, my knowledge of Japanese culture was primarily limited to what I had seen in movies, which had always fascinated me.ย ย 

ย ๆ—ฅๆœฌ่ชž่จณ๏ผˆin Japanese):ย ย 

ใ€Œใƒ€ใ‚คใƒใƒผใ‚ทใƒ†ใ‚ฃใ€ใจ่žใ„ใฆไฝ•ใ‚’ๆ€ใ„ๆตฎใ‹ในใพใ™ใ‹๏ผŸ็งใฏๆ—ฅๆœฌไบบใฎ่‹ฅ่€…ใ‚’ๅฏพ่ฑกใจใ—ใŸโ€Diversity Workshop(ๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใ‚’ใƒ†ใƒผใƒžใซใ—ใŸใƒฏใƒผใ‚ฏใ‚ทใƒงใƒƒใƒ—๏ผ‰โ€ใซๅ‚ๅŠ ใ™ใ‚‹ๆฉŸไผšใŒใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ—ใŸใ€‚Crossing Bordersใฎไธ€ๅ“กใจใ—ใฆใ€ใ“ใฎใƒฏใƒผใ‚ฏใ‚ทใƒงใƒƒใƒ—ใ‚’้€šใ—ใฆๅˆใ‚ใฆๆ—ฅๆœฌไบบใจไบคๆตใ™ใ‚‹ๆฉŸไผšใŒๅพ—ใ‚‰ใ‚Œใ€ใใ‚Œใฏ้žๅธธใซๆฅฝใ—ใใพใŸ็›ฎใ‚’่ฆ‹ๅผตใ‚‹ใ‚ˆใ†ใชใ‚‚ใฎใงใ—ใŸใ€‚ๅ‚ๅŠ ใ™ใ‚‹ๅ‰ใฎ็งใฎๆ—ฅๆœฌใซ้–ขใ™ใ‚‹็Ÿฅ่ญ˜ใจใ„ใˆใฐไธปใซๆ˜ ็”ปใฎไธญใง่ฆ‹ใŸใ“ใจใซ้™ๅฎšใ•ใ‚Œใพใ™ใŒใ€ใใ‚Œใฏใ„ใคใ‚‚็งใ‚’้ญ…ไบ†ใ—ใฆใ„ใพใ—ใŸใ€‚ย 

One aspect of the workshop that I particularly enjoyed was the various activities that were designed to facilitate our interactions and encourage us to express our opinions on what diversity means to us. Among these activities, the one that stood out to me the most was the exercise where we formed a line in the room and positioned ourselves based on whether we agreed or disagreed with a given statement. This activity was promoting discussion and self-reflection.ย 

ย ๆ—ฅๆœฌ่ชž่จณ๏ผˆin Japanese):ย 

ใ“ใฎใƒฏใƒผใ‚ฏใ‚ทใƒงใƒƒใƒ—ใงๅ–ใ‚Š็ต„ใ‚“ใ ๆง˜ใ€…ใชใ‚ขใ‚ฏใƒ†ใ‚ฃใƒ“ใƒ†ใ‚ฃใฏไบคๆตใ‚’ไฟƒ้€ฒใ—ใ€ใพใŸๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใŒ็งใŸใกใซใจใฃใฆใฉใ‚“ใชๆ„ๅ‘ณใŒใ‚ใ‚‹ใฎใ‹ๆดป็™บใซๆ„่ฆ‹ใ‚’ๅ‡บใ—ๅˆใˆใ‚‹ใ‚ˆใ†ใซๅทฅๅคซใ•ใ‚Œใฆใ„ใพใ—ใŸใ€‚็งใซใจใฃใฆๆœ€ใ‚‚ๅฐ่ฑก็š„ใ ใฃใŸใฎใฏใ€ๅˆใ‚ใซ้ƒจๅฑ‹ใฎไธญๅฟƒใงไธ€ๅˆ—ใซไธฆใณใ€ใŠ้กŒ๏ผˆ่‡ช่บซใฎๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใซ้–ขใ™ใ‚‹็ตŒ้จ“ใƒป่€ƒใˆๆ–น๏ผ‰ใ‚’่žใ„ใฆ่‡ชๅˆ†ใฎ่ณ›ๆˆๅบฆใƒปๅๅฏพๅบฆใซๅˆใ‚ใ›ใฆ็งปๅ‹•ใ™ใ‚‹ใ‚ขใ‚ฏใƒ†ใ‚ฃใƒ“ใƒ†ใ‚ฃใงใ™ใ€‚ใ“ใฎๆดปๅ‹•ใ‚’้€šใ—ใฆไบ’ใ„ใซ่ฉฑใ—ๅˆใ„ใ€ใพใŸ่‡ชๅˆ†่‡ช่บซใฎ็ตŒ้จ“ใ‚’ๆŒฏใ‚Š่ฟ”ใ‚‹ใ“ใจใŒใงใใŸใ‚ˆใ†ใซๆ„Ÿใ˜ใพใ™ใ€‚

What made this activity special was the freedom it gave us to adjust our positions as we heard different opinions from our fellow participants. It encouraged us to actively listen to one another and be open to changing our perspective when we resonated with someone else’s point of view. This dynamic approach created an environment where diversity of thought was not only acknowledged but celebrated. It reminded me that diversity is not just about our backgrounds or identities but also about the diversity of ideas and perspectives that everyone brings to the tableย 

ๆ—ฅๆœฌ่ชž่จณ๏ผˆin Japanese):ย 

ใ“ใฎๆดปๅ‹•ใงใฏไป–ใฎๅ‚ๅŠ ่€…ใฎๆ„่ฆ‹ใ‚’่žใ„ใฆ่‡ช็”ฑใซ่‡ชๅˆ†ใฎไฝ็ฝฎใ‚’็งปๅ‹•ใ™ใ‚‹ใ“ใจใŒใงใใพใ—ใŸใ€‚ใใฎใŸใ‚ใ€ไบ’ใ„ใฎๆ„่ฆ‹ใซใ—ใฃใ‹ใ‚Šใจ่€ณใ‚’ๅ‚พใ‘ใ€ไป–่€…ใฎ่ฆ–็‚นใซๅ…ฑๆ„Ÿใ—ใŸๆ™‚ใซๆŸ”่ปŸใซ่‡ชๅˆ†ใฎ่ฆ–็‚นใ‚’ๅค‰ๅŒ–ใ•ใ›ใ‚‹ใ“ใจใŒไฟƒใ•ใ‚ŒใฆใŠใ‚Šใ€ๅคšๆง˜ใช่€ƒใˆๆ–นใŒ่ชใ‚ใ‚‰ใ‚Œใ‚‹ใ ใ‘ใงใฏใชใๆญ“่ฟŽใ•ใ‚Œใ‚‹็’ฐๅขƒใŒไฝœใ‚Šๅ‡บใ•ใ‚Œใพใ—ใŸใ€‚ใ€Œๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใ€ใจใฏ็งใŸใกใฎ็”Ÿใ„็ซ‹ใกใ‚„ใ‚ขใ‚คใƒ‡ใƒณใƒ†ใ‚ฃใƒ†ใ‚ฃใ ใ‘ใ‚’ๆŒ‡ใ™ใฎใงใฏใชใใ€่‡ช่บซใฎๆ„่ฆ‹ใ‚„่ฆ–็‚นใฎๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใ‚‚ๅซใพใ‚Œใฆใ„ใ‚‹ใ“ใจใซๆฐ—ใฅใ‹ใ•ใ‚Œใพใ—ใŸใ€‚

Perspective from CB member from Japanย ย 

I was in charge of translation into Japanese for the first time. I found some words, for instance, โ€œintersectionalityโ€ and โ€œinclusionโ€ are difficult to translate directly because these concepts havenโ€™t been widely used in Japan yet. This experience once again made me realized that Japan is pretty much behind in terms of diversity. I think that people in Japan know that Diversity is a โ€œgood thingโ€ and have a partial understanding of it, but do not understand completely and do not put into practice enough. As the saying goes, โ€œๅ‡บใ‚‹ๆญใฏๆ‰“ใŸใ‚Œใ‚‹(the nail that sticks out gets hammered down)โ€, there is a tendency to prefer to behave like others in order not to attract attention by behaving differently. I think this makes it difficult to promote diversity.ย ย 

The workshop provided a fantastic opportunity to think about ways to foster diversity in Japan. After enjoying various games, we had discussions like “Besides fun, what was the point of the activity?โ€ and โ€œHow do you think it could relate to diversity?โ€. At that time, participants realized that these activities were intended to help them experience diversity to deepen their understanding of it. ย 

In the final activity, our team difined diversity as a โ€œRainbowโ€, because everyone has different โ€œcolorsโ€ but in the end, they come together to create something beautiful like a reainbow. I believe that respecting peopleโ€™s differences and cooperate together with taking advantage of differences can make our society much better. ย 

ย ๆ—ฅๆœฌ่ชž่จณ๏ผˆin Japanese):ย 

Crossing Borders ๆ—ฅๆœฌไบบใƒกใƒณใƒใƒผใ‚ˆใ‚Šย 

ๅˆใ‚ใฆๆ—ฅๆœฌ่ชž็ฟป่จณใ‚’ๆ‹…ๅฝ“ใ—ใพใ—ใŸใ€‚็‰นใซใ€Œintersectionality๏ผˆไบคๅทฎใ™ใ‚‹ๅคšๆง˜ๆ€ง๏ผ‰ใ€ใ‚„ใ€Œinclusion๏ผˆๅŒ…ๆ‘‚๏ผ‰ใ€ใฎใ‚ˆใ†ใชๅ˜่ชžใฏใ€ๆฆ‚ๅฟตใŒๆ—ฅๆœฌใงใพใ ๅๅˆ†ใซๆ™ฎๅŠใ—ใฆใ„ใชใ„ใŸใ‚็›ด่จณใŒ้›ฃใ—ใ„ใจๆ„Ÿใ˜ใพใ—ใŸใ€‚ใใ“ใงๆ”นใ‚ใฆๆ—ฅๆœฌใŒๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใฎ้ขใงใ‹ใชใ‚Š้…ใ‚Œใฆใ„ใ‚‹ใ“ใจใ‚’ๅฎŸๆ„Ÿใ—ใพใ—ใŸใ€‚ๆ—ฅๆœฌใฎไบบใ€…ใฏๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใŒใ€Œ่‰ฏใ„ใ‚‚ใฎใ ใ€ใจ็†่งฃใ—ใฆใ„ใ‚‹ใจใฏๆ€ใ„ใพใ™ใŒใ€ๅฎŒๅ…จใซ็†่งฃใ—ใฆใŠใ‚‰ใšใ€ๅ……ๅˆ†ใซๅฎŸ่ทตใงใใฆใ„ใชใ„ใ‚ˆใ†ใซๆ€ใ„ใพใ™ใ€‚ใ€Œๅ‡บใ‚‹ๆญใฏๆ‰“ใŸใ‚Œใ‚‹ใ€ใจใ„ใ†่ซบใฎ้€šใ‚Šใ€ไป–่€…ใ‹ใ‚‰ใฎๆณจ็›ฎใ‚’ๆตดใณใชใ„ใ‚ˆใ†ใซไป–ใฎไบบใ€…ใจๅŒใ˜ใ‚ˆใ†ใซๆŒฏใ‚‹่ˆžใ†ๅ‚พๅ‘ใŒใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ™ใ€‚ใ“ใ‚ŒใŒๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใฎๆ™ฎๅŠใ‚’ๅฆจใ’ใฆใ„ใ‚‹ใจ่€ƒใˆใพใ™ใ€‚ย 

็งใซใจใฃใฆใ“ใฎใƒฏใƒผใ‚ฏใ‚ทใƒงใƒƒใƒ—ใฏๆ—ฅๆœฌใงๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใ‚’ไฟƒ้€ฒใ™ใ‚‹ๆ–นๆณ•ใซใคใ„ใฆ่€ƒใˆใ‚‹็ด ๆ™ดใ‚‰ใ—ใ„ๆฉŸไผšใงใ—ใŸใ€‚ๆง˜ใ€…ใชใ‚ฒใƒผใƒ ใ‚’ๆฅฝใ—ใ‚“ใ ๅพŒใ€ใ€Œๆฅฝใ—ใ„ไปฅๅค–ใซใ€ใ“ใฎใ‚ฒใƒผใƒ ใฎ็›ฎ็š„ใฏไฝ•ใงใ—ใ‚‡ใ†ใ‹๏ผŸใ€ใ€Œใ“ใฎใ‚ฒใƒผใƒ ใŒๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใจใฉใฎใ‚ˆใ†ใซ้–ข้€ฃใ™ใ‚‹ใจๆ€ใ„ใพใ™ใ‹๏ผŸใ€ใจใ„ใฃใŸ่ฉฑใ—ๅˆใ„ใฎๆ™‚้–“ใŒใ‚ใ‚Šใพใ—ใŸใ€‚ใใฎๆ™‚ๅˆใ‚ใฆใ€ๅ‚ๅŠ ่€…ใฏใ“ใ‚Œใ‚‰ใฎใ‚ฒใƒผใƒ ใŒๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใ‚’ไฝ“้จ“ใ—ใ€ๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใ‚’ใ‚ˆใ‚Šๆทฑใ็†่งฃใ™ใ‚‹ใŸใ‚ใซๆ„ๅ›ณใ•ใ‚Œใฆใ„ใ‚‹ใ“ใจใซๆฐ—ไป˜ใใฎใงใ™ใ€‚ย 

ๆœ€ๅพŒใฎๆดปๅ‹•ใง็งใŸใกใฎใƒใƒผใƒ ใฏๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใ‚’ใ€Œ่™นใ€ใจๅฎš็พฉใ—ใพใ—ใŸใ€‚ใใ‚Œใฏ่ชฐใ‚‚ใŒ็•ฐใชใ‚‹ใ€Œ่‰ฒใ€ใ‚’ๆŒใฃใฆใ„ใฆใ€ๆœ€็ต‚็š„ใซ่™นใฎใ‚ˆใ†ใซ็พŽใ—ใ„ใ‚‚ใฎใซใชใ‚‹ใ‹ใ‚‰ใงใ™ใ€‚็งใฏไบบใ€…ใฎ้•ใ„ใ‚’ๅฐŠ้‡ใ—ใ€้•ใ„ใ‚’ๆดปใ‹ใ—ใฆๅ”ๅŠ›ใ™ใ‚‹ใ“ใจใง่‰ฏใ„็คพไผšใซใชใ‚‹ใจ่€ƒใˆใฆใ„ใพใ™ใ€‚

Overall, the Crossing Borders workshop on “Diversity” for Japanese youth was a fantastic experience that allowed me to broaden my horizons and gain a deeper appreciation for the importance of embracing diversity in all its forms. I believe that workshops like these are instrumental in promoting understanding and inclusion. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of it and to capture through my photography these beautiful interactions.ย 

ๆ—ฅๆœฌ่ชž่จณ๏ผˆin Japanese):ย 

ไปŠๅ›žใฎใƒฏใƒผใ‚ฏใ‚ทใƒงใƒƒใƒ—ๅ…จไฝ“ใ‚’้€šใ—ใฆ่‡ชๅˆ†่‡ช่บซใฎ่ฆ–้‡Žใ‚’ๅบƒใ’ใ€ใ‚ใ‚‰ใ‚†ใ‚‹ๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใ‚’ๅ—ใ‘ๅ…ฅใ‚Œใ‚‹้‡่ฆๆ€งใ‚’ๆทฑใ็†่งฃใ™ใ‚‹ใ“ใจใŒใงใใพใ—ใŸใ€‚็งใฏใ“ใฎใ‚ˆใ†ใชใƒฏใƒผใ‚ฏใ‚ทใƒงใƒƒใƒ—ใŒๅคšๆง˜ๆ€งใซ้–ขใ™ใ‚‹็†่งฃใ‚’ๆทฑใ‚ใ€ไบ’ใ„ใฎ้•ใ„ใ‚’่ชใ‚ๅˆใ„ๅ”ๅŠ›ใ™ใ‚‹ใ“ใจใ‚’ไฟƒ้€ฒใ™ใ‚‹ๆฉŸไผšใซใชใ‚‹ใจไฟกใ˜ใฆใ„ใพใ™ใ€‚ไปŠๅ›žๅ‚ๅŠ ใงใใŸใ“ใจใ€ใใ—ใฆใ“ใฎใ‚ˆใ†ใช็พŽใ—ใ„ไบคๆตใ‚’ๅ†™็œŸใซๅŽใ‚ใ‚‹ๆฉŸไผšใŒไธŽใˆใ‚‰ใ‚ŒใŸใ“ใจใซๆ„Ÿ่ฌใ—ใฆใ„ใพใ™ใ€‚

Authored by Lustin Baisanย  and Eimi Yamashita

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