an article summarizing the 2016 program experience.

Building the TOMODACHI Program Inspires Ideas
for Sustainable Support to Tohoku
2016 Building the TOMODACHI Generation Program
Students enjoy the reception
On February 26, the Building the TOMODACHI Generation program came to a successful close in
Washington, DC.
Japanese college students arrived mid-February to begin the intensive, two-week program, which opened with
a welcome session featuring remarks by USJC President Irene Hirano Inouye. During the first week of the
program, the 19 Japanese students learned about the role and function of civil society, the structure and
history of the U.S. nonprofit sector, and how cross-sector partnerships among businesses, governments and
nonprofit organizations address contemporary challenges. These panels included speakers such as 2015 ELP
alumnus and Associate Member Rei Tsuchiya, USJC Director of Education Mya Fisher and USJC
Communications Manager Shiori Okazaki.
At the end of the week, the Japanese students were joined by 15 U.S. students to form international teams
tasked with developing a project that addresses ongoing issues facing the Tohoku region. Each team was
assigned to one of five cities in Miyagi prefecture. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Great East
Japan Earthquake and the third year of the Building the TOMODACHI Generation Program. As such, the
focus of the projects was more on long-term sustainability and community healing than on immediate relief.
The projects were assessed by a panel of judges that included USJC member and President of Global Giving
Mari Kuraishi.
USJC staff members Ms. Fisher (left) and Ms. Lauren Mosely (right) speak with students at the reception
Following the final presentations, USJC staff spoke with students about their experience on this program.
Yumeko Inoue of Sophia University said, “This program has been a great learning opportunity. I have learned
so many things, including civil society, teamwork skills, and skills needed in global fields. But most of all, this
program made me realize that we each have different strengths, and that if we combine them together, we can
bring changes to create a sustainable and resilient environment.
Students from the BTG program
This summer, the two winning teams (Team Tachiagare and Team Ningyo) will travel to the towns they
researched (Kesennuma and Onagawa, respectively), and present the project to town and regional leaders.
Team Tachiagare addressed the sea wall--which was constructed to prevent further disasters--and proposed
bimonthly events by the wall to reclaim the ocean that is now obstructed by it. Team Ningyo hopes to revive
the fishing industry, by creating a school curriculum where local fishermen teach students about the
production of Hoya, a sea pineapple that used to be a major export for Miyagi prefecture. More information
about their proposals can be found here. We wish them the best of luck on their presentation and
congratulate them on being chosen.
See more photos from the closing reception on The Washington Center for Internships and Academic
Seminars (TWC) Flickr album here. This program was developed through a partnership between TWC and
the U.S.-Japan Research Institute (USJI). It is administered by TWC and generously funded by the
TOMODACHI Fund for Exchanges.