#1 Please introduce yourself!
Hello everyone! This is Mei from Japan and this is my first time joining the ISC! I’m a sophomore at Seijo University in Tokyo, majoring in social innovation. Specifically, I study a wide range of fields from International management and International cooperation to Psychology from the perspective of innovation. So, I have knowledge of various fields and I like to think about one thing from a different perspective. I like to try new things and have many hobbies, but I‘m especially fond of watching track and field matches and playing the piano.
#2 What is your favorite thing about your country/city? Why?
What I like about Japan and the city I live in is that there are four seasons and the custom of enjoying the scenery, tastes, and events that change from season to season. In Japan, there is a "Japanese spirit" and "Japanese culture" nurtured by a delicate and gentle sensitivity. The four seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter, have nurtured this culture. In the spring, we enjoy cherry blossom viewing, in the summer we enjoy fireworks at summer festivals, in the fall we enjoy the changing leaves, in the winter we enjoy the New Year, and so on, using all of our senses to enjoy the changing seasons, including the changing scenery and sounds of nature. Also, in Yokohama City, where I live, there are many beautiful flower gardens that always soothe me.
#3 What made you want to join ISC67 and your table? What would you like to achieve through the conference?
I believe that it is people who make our life happy. I also like to communicate with people, especially people from other countries, because it gives me new ways of seeing things and new values. In other words, one of the reasons I decided to participate in this program was to communicate with people from all over the world and to have an alternative experience to studying abroad. I was also interested in the fact that we would not only discuss social issues but also propose realistic solutions. I would like to contribute to the development of the city by making our proposals as real as possible. I chose Table 5's participatory urban planning because, as a member of a large city, I feel the need to think more realistically about urban issues. Also, I was attracted to the word "participation" because I value connections with people. First of all, I would like to practice the participatory approach by involving the people around me through surveys and other activities. I don't have much knowledge about cities at this point, but that's why I like to challenge new things, and I wanted to acquire knowledge in new fields. I hope to have a great time with ISC members from different countries, having table talks, talking about different things, and making lifelong friends.