Refugee Support Seminar from a Regional Perspective: Perspectives and Case Studies for Municipal Policies and Educational Activities

The Japan Association for UNHCR (Tokyo), in cooperation with the UNHCR Representation in Japan, will hold a "Refugee Support Seminar from a Regional Perspective: Perspectives and Case Studies for Municipal Policies and Educational Activities" for local government officials and educators.

Over 117 million people have been forced to flee their homes due to ongoing wars, conflicts, and persecution around the world.

The 2022 Ukraine humanitarian crisis served as a significant catalyst for civil society to reflect on "peace" and "a society where we live together." In Japan, initiatives connecting citizens with the world through the lens of refugee issues are expanding in fields such as multicultural coexistence, international understanding education, human rights policies, and peace initiatives.

For example, do you have any of the following concerns?

How to develop multicultural coexistence policies into concrete projects

How to incorporate new approaches into SDGs, human rights policies, and peace initiatives

How to enhance international understanding education in schools

How to consider the development and utilization of international human resources in the region

This seminar will provide participants with hands-on experience of workshops and lecture programs that can be utilized in citizen events and school settings, through the theme of "refugees." We will also introduce various case studies and practical tips that can be applied to municipal policies and educational activities, allowing participants to leave with concrete ideas for project planning.

We will deliver practical tips that will be useful for your next fiscal year's project planning, which is now in full swing.

Recommended for:

Local government officials in charge of projects related to multicultural coexistence, human rights, peace, and SDGs

Board of education members and school personnel seeking practical examples of international understanding education and human rights education

Staff members planning citizen lectures and experiential events

[Date and Time] *Both days will be held in person only*

Osaka: Tuesday, July 28, 2026, 2:00 PM – 5:30 PM at Tennoji Community Center (7-57 Ikudama-ji-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka City)

Tokyo: Thursday, July 30, 2026, 1:30 PM – 4:40 PM at Tokyo Women's Plaza (5-53-67 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)

[Program] *Partial participation is also possible*

Let's start with an experience. After participants experience the workshop themselves, we will provide basic knowledge about refugee issues and examples of its application in local governments and schools.

Osaka Session (July 28)

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Experiential Workshop "Inspection of Belongings of Life"

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM: Participant networking time / Please also visit the exhibitions and booths

********************************

3:30 PM – 3:35 PM: Opening Remarks by Organizer: UNHCR Representation in Japan

3:35 PM – 5:00 PM: Lecture "UNHCR's Refugee Support and What We Can Do" and Q&A

5:00 PM – 5:05 PM: Opening Remarks by Organizer: Masayuki Kawai, Secretary General, Japan Association for UNHCR

********************************

5:05 PM – 5:30 PM: Participant networking time / Please also visit the exhibitions and booths

Tokyo Session (July 30)

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM: Experiential Workshop "Inspection of Belongings of Life"

2:30 PM – 2:40 PM: Break

********************************

2:40 PM – 2:45 PM: Opening Remarks by Organizer: UNHCR Representation in Japan

2:45 PM – 4:10 PM: Lecture "UNHCR's Refugee Support and What We Can Do" and Q&A

4:10 PM – 4:15 PM: Opening Remarks by Organizer: Masayuki Kawai, Secretary General, Japan Association for UNHCR

********************************

4:15 PM – 4:40 PM: Participant networking time / Please also visit the exhibitions and booths

About the Workshop "Inspection of Belongings of Life"

This is an experiential workshop that can be conducted with just one sheet of paper and a pen. Participants write down the important things that shape their identity and, through the simulated experience of losing them, consider the situation of refugees forced to flee their homes and the support they need as if it were their own issue. It can be widely participated in by junior high school students to adults and is implemented in local governments, schools, and companies nationwide.

What you will gain from this seminar:

Specific examples of initiatives in local governments and schools

Perspectives and tips for considering project implementation and budgeting

Information on teaching materials, lecturer dispatch, workshops, etc., that can be utilized in local governments and schools

Basic knowledge of refugee issues in the world and Japan

[Lecturers]

Osaka Session: Shoichi Yoshijima

After graduating from Kansai Gaidai University, he worked in international cooperation projects for approximately 25 years at institutions such as the Embassy of Japan in Fiji, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JICA, and international NGOs. He gained overseas experience in Indonesia and Zambia, and has been involved in refugee support at the Japan Association for UNHCR since 2017. He is currently engaged in promoting understanding of refugee issues as head of External Relations and Awareness.

Tokyo Session: Kohei Amanuma

After graduating from the Faculty of Education, Tokyo University of Education, he worked as a social studies teacher at Shushoku Junior and Senior High School for three years. He then worked as a counselor at a children's care home and as a staff member of a development-focused NGO before becoming involved in refugee support at the Japan Association for UNHCR in 2012. He is currently in charge of External Relations and Awareness. In addition, he serves as the Secretary General of the Refugee Education Promotion Association (RHEP), managing a scholarship program for young people with refugee backgrounds living in Japan.

[How to Participate]

Free participation / Advance registration required (Deadline: July 24) / In-person attendance only

Click here to register

https://www.japanforunhcr.org/news/2026/seminar4municipality

Organizers: Japan Association for UNHCR, UNHCR Representation in Japan

Sponsor: The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR)

About UNHCR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, works in 122 countries in partnership with a diverse range of partners to provide international protection and assistance to refugees, internally displaced persons, and stateless people. It was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1954 and 1981. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. https://www.unhcr.org/jp/

About the Japan Association for UNHCR

The Japan Association for UNHCR was established in 2000 as UNHCR's official support window in Japan. In cooperation with the UNHCR Representation in Japan, it conducts public relations and fundraising activities to support UNHCR's work. It is a certified NPO that can issue receipts for tax deductions (preferential tax treatment) for donations received from the public. https://www.japanforunhcr.org/