During 6th period on Thursday, January 30, we welcomed Professor Emeritus Atsuhiko Yoshida of Osaka Metropolitan University, who also serves as the President of the Kyoto UNESCO Association, to our school for a special lecture. In his talk, Professor Yoshida explained UNESCO’s activities and its deep involvement in the establishment of the International Baccalaureate (IB).

During the lecture, he clearly introduced the history of how UNESCO played a major role in the founding of the IB, and how its policy is rooted in the goals of world peace, international contribution, and building a better world. Through concrete examples, students were able to better understand that the IB learning they engage in every day is connected to the wider world and contributes to shaping a better future.

The session also included time to hear from senior IB2 students who are currently taking an active role in UNESCO-related initiatives. By learning from these familiar examples of real practice, students were able to think more concretely about what kinds of activities they themselves may become involved in moving forward.

Even after the lecture ended, many students visited Professor Yoshida to ask questions and seek advice about their future learning and activities. Professor Yoshida responded attentively to each student’s interests and provided practical guidance, which became a great source of encouragement for them.

Through this lecture, students were able to reaffirm the significance of IB learning and strengthen their motivation to take their own first step toward connecting with the world.