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Special lecture given by the Deputy Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Japan at theHachioji Campus Campus

On Friday, June 21, 2024, a special lecture on the refugee situation in Japan and around the world was held in the seminar of Hiroaki Ito, Senior Assistant Professor in the Department Department of International Economy Faculty of Economics Teikyo University, with Nami Asaka, Deputy Representative (Legal Affairs) for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Japan, as Senior Assistant Professor.
The day before the special lecture, Thursday, June 20, is designated as World Refugee Day, a day to raise global awareness of refugee protection and support and deepen understanding and support for the activities of UN agencies, including UNHCR, NGOs, and other actors. During Asaka's lecture, he explained that the number of refugees and other forcibly displaced people in the world has exceeded 120 million—equivalent to the population of Japan—and continues to grow. He also explained how UNHCR's efforts to protect and support refugees contribute to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of "leaving no one behind." He also discussed Japan's refugee acceptance situation. Students who attended the lecture shared their thoughts, saying, "I learned that refugees are not just suffering; they are doing what they can to help others," "Many refugees are achieving their goals, and I realized that it's not good to make decisions based solely on imagination," and "Being born in Japan, a blessed country, made me want to do my best."
Since 2019, our university has been participating in the Refugee Higher Education Programme (RHEP), run by the UNHCR Japan Office and the UNHCR Association, and currently two Syrian and Afghan refugee students are studying at our university. Our university will continue to promote efforts towards achieving the SDGs.

For more information on Teikyo University's SDGs initiatives, click here
Click here Senior Assistant Professor Ito Hiroaki's activity report
For more information about Department of International Economy Faculty of Economics, click here

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