OPENING CEREMONY
After the opening music performed by the Kindai University Brass Band Club, Miyu Enda, the Secretary-General of the JEMUN 2017 assembly gave us an opening speech. Ms. Enda is currently a third-year student, studying in the Faculty of Literature, Art and Cultural Studies at Kindai University.
“As awareness of the issues that connect and enrich, divide and threaten our world grows ever more sophisticated, we need JEMUN to allow university students to shine the light of their natural compassion, and to apply their trustworthy common sense, on old, new, and absurd problems”.
After welcoming everyone to Kindai University, the Dean of the Faculty of Literature, Arts and Cultural Studies, Ms. Izumi Takamiya, said she hoped that delegates would use the experience to make change in their own communities and futures. “I hope that throughout this conference you will make a wholehearted effort and development of humanity and our planet by translating them into actions or ideas”, Dean Takamiya said.
This year’s special guest speaker was Junichi Yamashita, who introduced himself as “the blind wheelchair artist”. His hope is that his music and songs will infuse many people with the energy they may need to keep on building a great future for everyone. Mr. Yamashita firmly believes that, ”music is the purpose of life; music is the way to contact people”. He shared with us a few of his own personal experiences about traveling with disabilities, and how he hopes that future generations will have increased accessibility to an even greater number of locations around the world. The upbeat tempo and lively lyrics of his music captivated and motivated the participants to work with even more passion on developing resolutions for the sustainable and accessible tourism.
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