The 2002 World Students' Summit Finishes Successfully!!


DAY 1

The 2002 World Students' Summit (WSS) began on Tuesday, October 29 at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) with 339 students from some 58 overseas universities in 25 different countries and regions and from 23 domestic universities from around the world in attendance.
A welcome reception was held to officially begin proceedings where Mr. KAWAMOTO Hachiro, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, The Ritsumeikan Trust, gave a welcome address and Ms. Anita VLCKOVA, co-chair of the WSS APU Student Executive Committee, declared the summit officially open.
Chairman KAWAMOTO spoke of the twentieth century as an era when "humanity and nature" had an "unbalanced relationship." Expressing the importance to achieve "peace and democracy" or humanity shall never attain "mutual understanding." The reception was a colorful event with performances by the APU koto and wadaiko clubs and with many participants dressed in the national costume of their home country.

Following the welcome reception an introductory meeting was held, where the statement drafting committee members were introduced. The statement drafting committee is made up of 10 members, one from each subcommittee, plus the moderator.

The 10 subcommittees are:

1. Globalization of Media and its Relationship with State and Corporate
2. Global Cooperation
3. Educational System of the 21st Century
4. Human Rights
5. Society and Health
6. Transfer of Technology
7. International Society and Peace
8. Indigenous People
9. Poverty Eradication
10. Co-existence of Man and Nature

The committee will create a draft statement on behalf of all summit participants about the findings of the summit on "the role of students and youth: how can we establish human security and sustainable development on the earth."

The first subcommittee meeting session then convened and participants participated in discussions about their workshop theme.

DAY 2

Wednesday, October 30 started with the second session of subcommittee meetings. The groups began slowly finding direction after yesterday's introductions and initial discussion proposals. Each of the workshops will convene only four times and must submit a summary communique following the end of the fourth session.

Topics discussed across many of the workshops included terrorism, education, and poverty.
Workshop 10, "Co-existence of Man and Nature" discussed eco-tourism and the impact of wide usage of solar energy.
The current education system and the difference between the East and the West was discussed in Workshop 3, "Educational System of the 21st Century." More communication between teachers and students was considered an ideal characteristic for future education systems. "International Society and Peace" (Workshop 7) debated on the definition of "terrorism" and its forms, as well as state sovereignty, and arms reduction.

A General Assembly was held at Millennium Hall from 12:00pm. A message was presented on behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General His Excellency Mr. Kofi ANNAN, and Dr. OGATA Sadako, Co-chair of the UN Commission on Human Security and former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and Oita Prefectural Governor Mr. HIRAMATSU Morihiko, were presented

H.E. Mr. ANNAN expressed his excitement that WSS participants are "already involved in shaping the world [they] will inherit and lead" and encouraged students to "help the United Nations in its ongoing global mission to build a more peaceful, equitable and sustainable life for all the world's people." He implored them to hold his generation of world leaders to the pledges of recent summits around the world

Dr. OGATA said "it is extremely encouraging to me that young people like yourselves are interested in promoting human security and sustainable development, and discussing your roles in our common future." She explained the integral relationship between human security and sustainable development, and expressed the new approach of security as being focussed on "individuals, people and communities thus complementing state security."
Finally Governor HIRAMATSU introduced the three principles of his "One Village, One Product Movement" idea, and asked the students for continued interest in Oita. Governor HIRAMATSU expressed his hope that "exchange between Oita and the students' home regions will deepen" upon the students' return home.


Following the messages from H.E. Mr. ANNAN, Dr. OGATA and Gov. HIRAMATSU, keynote speeches were delivered by Dr. Maurice STRONG, President of the Council of the United Nations mandated University for Peace, and APU Advisory Committee member Mr. TAKAHARA Keiichiro, Vice Chairman of the Board of Councillors, Japan Business Federation; and Founder, Chairman and CEO of Unicharm Corporation.


Dr. STRONG spoke of the negative effects previous generations have had on the contemporary world, and how today's young people must learn from these actions to make a better 21st century

Mr. TAKAHARA described three important life-learning points for young people today: be ambitious, get real experience, and learn from today's leaders. He continued to say, "Through globalization peoples of the world are able to freely interact with one another, and have many challenging experiences. There is no limit to human potential. I encourage you all to act on your dreams."

The speeches were followed by announcements from the WSS Student Executive Committee and a salutation from Dr. NAGATA Toyo Omi, Chancellor of The Ritsumeikan Trust and President of Ritsumeikan University.

After the General Assembly the subcommittees again convened for their 3rd discussion session at which they discussed the issues raised by the keynote speakers in their individual addresses.

Following the busy day an evening party "Friendship Park" was held at the Beppu train station area to allow the local citizens to welcome WSS participants to Beppu City. Mr. INOUE Nobuyuki, mayor of Beppu City, officially welcomed the participants.

DAY 3

Thursday, October 31 was the final day of the WSS. Each subcommittee convened for the last time to wrap up their discussions and finalize the workshop communique.

From 13:00 participants convened at Millennium Hall for the closing session. The ceremony opened with each workshop facilitator presenting a General Statement, the fruits of three days of debate and consensus. Many of the statements stressed the importance of education as a key to promoting cultural, social, and environmental awareness, the roots of achieving sustainable development and human security. "An improvement of our future depends mainly on our willingness to change ourselves," ended the final General Statement.
University for Peace Professor Nay HTUN followed the facilitators' presentations with an overall review of the Summit. Professor HTUN found the summit to be "rewarding and enriching," and observed that the participants displayed awareness, diversity, equality, articulation, and tolerance. These principles form a foundation for approaching such large topics as sustainable development and human security, stated Prof. HTUN, who emphasized the importance of discussion, debate, and consensus.

The third item on the agenda was an hour-long discussion of the official World Students' Summit Declaration. The declaration can be viewed from the top of this page.

Finally, APU President Dr. SAKAMOTO Kazuichi, and Chairperson of the 2002 World Students' Summit APU Student Executive Committee Mr. SARUWATARI Takato delivered closing remarks.

After the Closing Ceremony participants assembled at the Farewell Party to say their good-byes before heading back to their home universities and countries, or going on to Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto for the World Students' Peace Forum 2002 to be held on November 1 and 2.

Congratulations to all participants for their committed contributions to the success of the summit!


Participating Universities

Country & Region University
Australia Macquarie University
The University of Newcastle
Canada Saint Mary's University
The University of British Columbia
The University of Manitoba
University of Victoria
China China Coal Economic College
Dongbei University of Finance and Economics
Fudan University
Jilin University
Peking University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Tongji University
Wuhan University
Xiamen University
Ecuador Universidad Del Pacifico
Fiji University of the South Pacific
France ESCIP
Universite De Toulouse-Le Mirail
Germany Humboldt University of Berlin
The University of Tubingen
India Jawaharlal Nehru University
University of Pune
Indonesia Andalas University
Gadjah Mada University

Korea Dong-A University
Korea University
Kyung Hee University
Pohang University of Science & Technology
Seoul National University
Yonsei University

Malaysia National University of Malaysia
University of Malaya
Mongolia
New Zealand
Palau Mongolian University of Science and Technology
Victoria University of Wellington
Palau Community College
Peru Peruvian University Cayetano Heredia

Philippines Ateneo de Manila University
De La Salle University
Poland Warsaw School of Economics
Warsaw University
Samoa The National University of Samoa
Singapore National University of Singapore
Taiwan National Chengchi University
National Taipei University of Technology
National Taiwan University
Tunghai University
Thailand Thammasat University
U.A.E. Higher Colleges of Technology
U.K. University of Cambridge
University of Westminster
U.S.A. American University
Harvard University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Stanford University
Univesity of Hawaii
Viet Nam Hanoi University of Technology
Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City

Japan Aoyama Gakuin University
Chuo University
Hokkaido University
Hosei University
International Christian University
Japan Women's University
Kansai University
Keio University
Kobe University
Kokushikan University
Kwansei Gakuin University
Kyoto University
Kyushu University
Meiji University
Nihon University
Oita University
Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
Ritsumeikan University
Seinan Gakuin University
Sofia University
University of Tokyo
Waseda University