Recruitment Starts for the 2nd Term of "Possible School," an Inclusion Learning Platform with Diverse Practitioners

El Sistema Connect (Headquarters: Tokyo, Representative Director: Erika Colon), a general incorporated association that presides over the inclusive choir "White Hand Chorus NIPPON" where children with and without disabilities participate together, will open the second term of "Possible School," an inclusion learning platform with diverse practitioners, starting May 26, 2026 (Monday). Applications are now being accepted.

Details and Application: https://congrant.com/project/esconnect/22190

"Possible School" is an interactive online continuous course born from the practices of White Hand Chorus NIPPON, where children with and without disabilities engage in activities together. Starting from the "process of breaking existing frameworks and believing in individual potential" that occurs daily in the music field, practitioners from various fields such as education, welfare, administration, and medicine, along with participants, engage in dialogue. It is a community that re-examines DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) not only as a human rights issue but also as a creative approach that brings new perspectives, by meeting people from different backgrounds and questioning one's own thought frameworks. Furthermore, the tuition fees will be used for the activities of the children of "White Hand Chorus NIPPON." It is a program where learning directly leads to support.

"Possible School" 2nd Term Implementation Overview

"Possible" means "possibility." It is a participatory online continuous course spanning 8 sessions over approximately 8 months, inviting front-runners from various fields such as music, welfare, administration, and medicine as lecturers, to engage in dialogue. In the first term, a diverse group of people involved in music education, welfare, and community activities gathered. Through each lecture and dialogue among participants, an action declaration was created in the final session. The aim is not just to gain knowledge, but to be a community that works and continues to move DEI forward in various fields.

【Scheduled Schedule】

1st Session May 26 | Tae Kitamura (Soprano Singer) 2nd Session June 23 | Kyosuke Yamada (Mayor of Koho-cho, Saga Prefecture) 3rd Session July 28 | Haruna Kubo (Lawyer) 4th Session September 29 | Shinsuke Shimura (Representative of Dialogue in the Dark) 5th Session October 27 | Tadao Chiba (Director, Japan-Denmark Life Research Institute) 6th Session November 24 | Ken Endo (CEO, Xiborg Inc.) 7th Session January 26 | Johannes Fellinger (Director, St. Johannes Hospital Linz) 8th Session February 16 | Reflection and Next Actions, Let's create Possible10!

・Fee: 30,000 yen (Archives available, Sign language interpretation available) ・Details and Application: https://congrant.com/project/esconnect/22190

・Highlights from the 0th Session: "What do we 'see' and what do we 'not see'? ~A unique musician talks about future organizations and inclusion" https://youtu.be/alDEUiPR9FY

▼ Recommended for those who: ・Are involved in inclusion in education, welfare, and public administration ・Are working to create environments where diverse members can thrive ・Are HR or management personnel involved in DE&I and organizational development ・Wish to re-examine their own assumptions and change their actions

▼ Voices from 1st Term Participants

・"I am deeply moved that I can listen carefully to people I wouldn't normally be able to talk to directly, express my opinions, and reflect and think every month." ・"The lecture content is profound and widely applicable, and above all, the staff create a warm atmosphere, making me feel comfortable participating and eager to learn more."

About El Sistema Connect, General Incorporated Association Presides over the inclusive choir "White Hand Chorus NIPPON," which is open to all children and includes diverse members such as deaf, hard of hearing, totally blind, visually impaired, and wheelchair users. Established in 2019, sympathizing with the philosophy of "El Sistema," a social music activity that started in Venezuela where everyone can receive music education equally. Anyone can participate and learn for free, regardless of disability or economic situation. In 2020, they co-hosted a project with Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre in Tokyo and signed a partnership agreement with Kyoto Women's University in Kyoto. The music performed by the sign language expression (Shuka) sign team and the vocal team is an artistic creation of future generations full of possibilities.

Received the 2023 Kids Design Award, the 2024 Zero Project Award (an international barrier-free award hosted by a foundation in Vienna, Austria) in February 2024, and the 3rd Yanase Takashi Culture Award in March 2025. (https://elsistemaconnect.or.jp/index.html)

Official HP: https://elsistemaconn