Global Issues Roundtable

“Global Issues Roundtable” provides online/in-person discussion opportunity for peer high school students with different backgrounds. JSIE directors will facilitate the discussion and help exchange various ideas among students. Each session, discussion theme varies. Applications are first-come-first-serve-basis. Students can propose future theme/issues of their interest. The Roundtable discussion will take approximately once in 3-4 months, and any high school students can participate online and engage in group discussions. We can accommodate English and/or Japanese speakers.  This Roundtable series provides participants opportunity to share their own views and get inspired from how others view the world differently. JSIE thinks that such opportunity will impact your thinking that may help to navigate future global career. This program’s funding provided by the United States Government during 2020-2022. You will need zoom or Teams environment.

Date/time  August 2, 2020  10:00-11:00am JSIT
We are experiencing many changes as we face COVID-19 crisis. It is inevitable that we need to adjust our lifestyles to co-exists with COVID-19, and new lifestyle will be our new normal. It is great challenge that we adapt new ways of doing things, but at the same time it is a great opportunity for innovation. We will be sharing tips and new challenges we have been practicing every day and think about differences in different society in the US and Japan.
Facilitator: Fumiko Sasaki, JSIE Director from NY

*2nd Global Student Peer Roundtable  “What is a Leader? ~ thinking on the occasion of the change of Japanese prime minister and the upcoming US presidential election.” Students from the US, Canada, and Japan exchanged views under the theme of “What is a Leader?”
Date: Saturday Sep. 19, 2020 9:00-10:30 pm (DC time)
Facilitator: Hiromi Murakami (JSIE Representative)

*3rd Global Student Peer Roundtable “What is effective way to learn?” – participants shared their own experience what kind of approaches were highly effective and not effective.
Date: Saturday Jan. 16, 2020 8:00-9:30 pm (DC time)
Facilitator: Fumiko Sasaki (JSIE Director)

*4th Global Student Peer Roundtable “Gender and Diversity”
Friday April 30, 2021 8:00-9:30 pm (DC time)
Facilitator: Hiromi Murakami (JSIE President)

*5th Global Student Peer Roundtable Discussion
Date: Saturday January 15, 2022 8:00-9:30 pm (DC time)
Theme: “Climate Change”
Facilitator: JSIE Director Dr. Fumiko Sasaki (Columbia Univ. Lecturer)
The year 2021 was the year when more people in the world were convinced of the global warming. Wildfires were everywhere. Floods have killed so many people globally. Consequently, the voices raised at COP26 at Glasgow in November 2021 were more from anger than from demand. The former U.S. President Obama said to the youth to keep being angry. But being angry is not enough to stop the climate change. We need to take actions. Wait, this phrase sounds familiar. Yes, we have been saying ‘take an action’ for long time, but not result. What is wrong with the existing actions, and what we need to do?

The 6th Global Student Peer Roundtable Discussion
Date: Sunday June 19, 2022 9:30-11:00 am (Japan time)
Theme: “Think about Ukraine”

Recent conflict between Russia and Ukraine has become a huge issue among the citizens of the world as the media repeatedly report the issue on a daily basis. As we witness the tragedy keeps ongoing, we like to encourage you to share your unique opinions on the topic. During our discussion, we will attempt to answer questions like: Why has no one stopped Russians and let it keep attacking innocent Ukrainians? What is the UN or the US doing? Do we have to accept that the might is right in this world?

Facilitated by Fumiko who specializes in international relations, students from Japan and the US will share their perspectives.

The 7th Global Student Peer Roundtable Discussion
Date: Sunday December 18, 2022 10:00-11:30 am (Japan time)
Theme: “Think about Energy”

In response to Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, many countries including Japan decided to impose sanctions on Russian economy by avoiding to purchase their energy resource supplies such as oil and natural gas. This resulted as a significant spike in the gas price in both Japan and the US. The possible responses they could take included; utilizing nuclear power plants to produce environmental-free energy, and producing more fossil fuel as a substitute for the lacking energy. The use of nuclear plants induces the risk of severe contamination, and the use of fossil fuel fosters global warming. Upon considering these factors, what do you prioritize? Discuss with your peers!

The 8th Global Student Peer Roundtable Discussion
Date: September 15, 2023 16:00-17:30 am (Japan time)
Theme: “Think about AI”

The 9th Global Issues Roundtable (Online/in-person hybrid)
Date: Wed. March 13, 2024 16:00-15:30 (Japan time)
Co-host: Showa Women’s Junior and High School (in person)
Theme: Nuclear weapons and the world
The issue of nuclear weapons, particularly in the context of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, is complex and raises fundamental questions about security and global stability. What are your thoughts on countries having nuclear weapons as a way to deter attacks? Japan, however, has opted not to possess nuclear weapons, influenced by its unique historical experiences. Instead, it relies on alliances, such as with the United States, for defense. Do you think this idea of friends protecting each other continues to work? 

Facilitator: JSIE Director Dr. Fumiko Sasaki (Columbia Univ. Faculty member)