Greetings from the SEISA Group!
We are delighted to announce the success of the 4th Seisa Africa Asia Bridge.

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆彡

SAAB 2018 draws over 7,000 people, incl. diplomats from Africa, Asia

Seisa Group hosted its annual event, Seisa Africa-Asia Bridge (SAAB), on Nov. 10 and 11 at Seisa Junior and Senior High School in Yokohama, drawing more than 7,000 people including diplomats as well as locals and its students. 

  The event, the fourth of the kind, was held under the concept of “getting to know each other and connecting” and has gained global attention as a grand scheme by the group to become a bridge between Japan and foreign countries in Africa and Asia, looking to the future.

  Following an opening address by Yasuo Miyazawa, group chairman and head of the Foundation for Global Children, Estifanos Afeworki, ambassador from the Embassy of the State of Eritrea, offered his congratulations, representing guest diplomats.

  Royce B Kuzwayo, minister plenipotentiary from the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa, gave a speech in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of former President Nelson Mandela, who fought against race discrimination.

  During the two-day event, participants learned history and culture of various countries at booths and experienced foreign food culture at stalls in the venue. They also enjoyed various programs including music performance.

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆彡

The SEISA Group supports the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) .

～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～★
Through SEISA Pegasus Club News, we hope to deliver seasonal greetings and updates on ongoing events at SEISA. If you have any questions or comments, please contact the SEISA Pegasus Club Office (miwhosoda@seisa.ac.jp).

Happy New Year from the SEISA Group!

We are delighted to share Mr. Miyazawa’s New Year greetings with you all.

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆彡

As the new year begins, we feel the urge to create New Year’s resolutions. Nowadays, I feel blessed just being able to welcome the new year, adding a new chapter to my long life. On the first day of every year, when I gaze upon Mount Fuji as the sun is rising, I would feel at peace and my mind would reflexively start creating a “to-do” list for the upcoming year. It is such a wonderful thing that the coming of the new year incites such motivation in us.

My goal each year is to contribute in doing something that would benefit the next generation. We should all be striving to create a richer and safer environment by providing what is needed. There is no need to feel pressured into taking on more tasks than you can handle; instead, take your time to do what you can and always be there for those who need your help the most. 

Do not fear failure. I believe that every mistake made only serves to your benefit because the experience of failing makes you more knowledgeable and better prepared to face future obstacles.

We must also acknowledge that having hope reflects the strength of your will and this hope will never betray you. In this new year, I sincerely hope that you will help make positive changes to the world. It will be a proof of your life’s hard work.   

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆彡

The SEISA Group wishes you all peace, health and prosperity in 2018! 

Warm greetings from the SEISA Group!

We are pleased to announce to you that the SEISA FM radio station called “Magic Wave” was launched at the Shonan Oiso Campus and many of the Seisa Family and neighbors can enjoy listening to the radio program, which provides tons of local high-quality news and cool music. Those who are living outside the Shonan area, you can access the radio station through the internet.

URL is;  http://www.jcbasimul.com/

Also, we proudly tell you that we are now hosting a number of foreign exchange students from all over the world, such as Eritrea, Bhutan, China, Brazil, Myanmar, and Nepal.

Japanese SEISA Students have also conducted the great achievements.  SEISA High School Baseball team and Soccer team took an active part in their games. 

We, SEISA Family, share "Kyosei Spirit", the symbiotic relationship between ourselves and the world around us, as a core value. Despite of the difference of our nationality and ethnicity, we believe we can understand each other and become friends. 

Warm greetings from the SEISA Group!

In this volume, we would like to inform you of our two ongoing programs: the PAL (Participate and Learn) program in Saipan and the STAR (Study of Trust, Achievement-Respect) Program in Bhutan.

The 31st PAL Program - SAIPAN - February 27th to March 6th, 2017

This year, we were lucky to have 222 people join us for this exciting, stimulating trip to Saipan. During the Welcome Ceremony at the Marianas High School, despite being tormented by heavy rainfall rarely seen on the island, the Seisa high school students performed a karate demonstration.

Through communicating across language barriers, experiencing living in a new environment, furthering the local students' knowledge of Japanese culture, and challenging themselves to step outside of their comfort zones, the students were handed a chance to grow and become more flexible in their way of perceiving the surrounding world. Through cross-cultural interactions, they were also able to bring back memories of joy and laughter.

The program was concluded with a grand Thank You Party with 395 participants, a number that greatly exceeded the sum of those who joined last year's celebration. We sincerely appreciate the support of many who contributed to making this program possible, and hope that this PAL Program will continue to function as a bridge linking friends from other nations together.

The 6th STAR Program - BHUTAN - March 21st to 26th, 2017

This year, we welcomed 12 participants to become a member of this expanding community of exchange students from Japan to Bhutan. At the Welcome Party, they were warmly greeted by the Director and President, as well as the Royal Thimphu College (RTC) students who had come to Seisa this February.

During the trip, the Seisa delegates visited a secondary school that promotes inclusive education, a traditional arts school, a traditional medical school, a vocational training center for children with special needs, and a primary and secondary school that is pioneering in the implementation of classes in the arts, music, and physical education. Through these visits to various institutions, the Seisa students were given a glimpse into the Bhutanese education system and school curriculums. 

A country now internationally acclaimed for evaluating its citizen's Gross National Happiness, Bhutan is an excellent example of a nation undergoing sustainable development. With the knowledge we have acquired from one another, the SEISA Group and the RTC students and staff are striving to create a society where we can all live in harmony.

Warm greetings from the SEISA Group! 

Between January 29th and February 8th, we welcomed 10 students and one faculty member from the Royal Thimphu College (RTC) in Bhutan to our Takao Campus located in Tokyo. The College is a sister school of Seisa University, and we have been holding an annual short-term exchange program called the Study of Trust Achievement-Respect (STAR) Program since 2012.

This was the sixth time that we held the exchange since the program was first established. We have continued to endorse this program with the hopes that the student participants will serve as a bridge, connecting our two nations. In terms of locations to visit in our respective countries, we give the students the freedom to make requests and suggestions. In this way, we are able to provide a rich and fulfilling learning experience. 

We all share the common objective of creating a world where we can live in peace and harmony. By learning from one another, we are able to take one step closer to achieving this goal. We hope to keep treasuring the relationships that we have made with the people of Bhutan as well as other nations, and strive to realize a better international society.

 2016 was another year of new beginnings. As a result, I feel that I have fulfilled my duty as founder of this flourishing institution. I could not have come this far without the support of my understanding co-workers, who lent their time and energy to execute new projects with shared objectives in mind. Through the process, I was constantly reminded that there is nothing more powerful and rewarding than people coming together and striving toward one goal. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of those, both within and outside of the Seisa group, who helped realize my ambitions. I am blessed to be working with such hardworking, dedicated men and women, willing to contribute to the new plans I had proposed while also satisfying what their jobs entail.

 Thus, I can confidently say that so far, I have successfully completed every task within my capacity. In 2017, I will think more deeply and set new standards for myself. While some endeavors may seem impossible and I may encounter the unknown, I will put my all into accomplishing them and overcoming any hurdles in the new year.

Warm greetings from the SEISA Group! 

The SEISA Africa-Asia Bridge 2016 events were held on November 12^thand 13^th.  In two days, we had about 5,800 participants from 30 different countries.  We all learned, pondered, and expressed our ideas towards the global society that we live in.

Africa and Asia attract people’s attention for being the continents that goes through drastic changes in the world.  Africa is the origin of humanity, and diverse groups of ethnicity and culture live together.  By observing the diversity of people living in Africa, it feels like we can find clues on how to achieve Sesia’s ongoing topic of a “Kyosei” society, a society in which people live together in harmony.  Through SAAB, all participants experienced that “to be different means to be diversity rich, and it isn’t something to discriminate against each other but to understand and accept each other.” These are exactly what Seisa’s Three Promises state: “Understand Each Other,” “Leave nobody out,” and “Make Friends.”

Measures adopted in Africa, Asia, and other countries in the Pacific Ocean, eventually go out to the world and continues to develop. We use our educational events to allow us to think together with our students, and we keep advancing forward by making stronger bonds with Africa, other Asian countries and countries in the Pacific Ocean.

We appreciate all your support that you’ve given us till this day, and we wish to be able to keep moving forward with you.

Warm greetings from the SEISA Group! 

We are very pleased to announce that Mr. Ghirmay Ghebreselassie, whom Mr. Miyazawa has been supporting over the years, won the 4^thprize in the marathon at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The article on his success appeared in the Asahi Shinbun, a popular national newspaper. We are happy to share the news with you!

From the article in the Asahi Shinbun (translated),

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 20 Years Old New Marathon Star, Aiming for Tokyo 2020

Ghirmay Ghebreselassie (Eritrea, Marathon)

The 20 years old with a mustache, presents himself to be older than his actual age. Even though it was his first time at the Olympics, he was calm and said, “I didn’t really get nervous before the race.” 

He stunned the world when he won the world marathon title in 2015, representing Eritrea, a country that has not yet made its name known in the marathon world. More astonishing, he was a teenager winning the championship.

Eritrea, at the southern end of the Red Sea in northeast Africa, is a small country that gained its independence from Eritrea in 1993. It is one of the poorest countries in the world, and Mr. Yasuo Miyazawa (67), President of Seisa Group that operates educational institutions such as distance education colleges, has been privately helping the people in Eritrea by building practical training schools for them.  Since three years ago, he has also been supportive of the Eritrean track and field team.

Next to Eritrea is located Ethiopia, the country for marathon runners.  Mr. Miyazawa said he had the instinct that the Eritrean athletes would be great at marathon because of their diligent and hardworking personalities.  He saw that the athletes in Eritrea didn’t have money and hence couldn’t participate in competitions.  He then invited them to Japan so they could run in competitions, and introduced them to corporate teams.  Ghirmay Ghebreselassie was one of the athletes who received the opportunity to shine from Mr. Miyazawa.  “I was shocked and delighted at the same time to see a new star come out,” said Mr. Miyazawa. Ghebreselassie did his best with the given opportunity and commented, “We will strive for Eritrea’s bright future.” 

At the race, he always kept a good position not so far away from the top runner.  Kipchoge of Kenya, who won the gold medal, started slow but raised his pace right around when he was past 25km.  “I was fine with the change in pace but the rain did it.”  Ghebreselassie couldn’t cope well with the rain and fell behind. He was not able to reach a medal but finished 4^th.

Seisa has and will continue to support the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, and would like to share new updates with you. We ask for your continued encouragement and that you please stay in touch.

 Warm greetings from the SEISA Group! 

One out of 730,000,000:　Things I could do

Seisa University’s Special Contract Professor, Dr. Sumana Barua, visited our Yokohama office and gave a talk entitled “One out of 730,000,000—Things I could do” on July 20^th.  He shared with us his life stories since his childhood and spoke to us about what he is doing to contribute to the world and to help children in the world. 

Dr. Barua received his medical license at the University of Philippines-Manila, finished his PhD at the University of Tokyo, and served as a team leader at WHO (World Health Organization) Leprosy.  He has also worked together with Mother Teresa.  He continues to question what he as an individual, could do as one of the 730,000,000 people in this world, and continues to enlighten our children and youngsters in Japan.

On July 19th, the day prior to visiting our office, he spoke to the teachers enrolled in Seisa University’s Teaching License Renewal Course about “Sustainable Development Goals and Contributions Made by Educators.”  The participants consisted of pre-school teachers to high school teachers all over Japan.  He gave them several hints on how they could use the SDGs in their classrooms.

Our schools have been participating in the “UN Academic Impact,” so there was much to learn from Dr. Barua, and we would like to keep devoting ourselves towards our fundamental principle goals.