Global Classmates Summit 2024

Cultivating the Next Generation of Global Leaders

The Global Classmates Summit is a summer program facilitated by Kizuna Across Cultures (KAC) that brings together Japanese and American high school students who hold the potential to influence and lead in diverse communities in the future. Through a wide variety of activities, the students deepen their understanding of one another and develop friendships, while fostering their skills to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between Japan and the U.S., as well as the broader international community.

Kizuna Across Cultures selected sixteen outstanding students (eight from the U.S. and eight from Japan) from a pool of 2,190 students who participated in the 2023-24 Global Classmates virtual program. To reflect the increasingly diverse areas of cooperation between Japan and the U.S., we aimed to form a group of participants that are rich in diversity in terms of attributes, strengths, and fields of interest.

The 2024 Summit, spanning from late July to mid-August, took place over twelve days with online sessions lasting 3-4 hours daily. Participants engaged in enriching activities designed to challenge them to engage critically with the issues that are shaping the current and future world. These activities included interactive meetings with seasoned leaders and globally oriented professionals, as well as discussions on crucial topics such as cross-cultural understanding, US-Japan relations, diversity, international society, and the significance of citizen’s diplomacy.

Each year we strive to create a unique Summit experience for our participants and 2024 was no exception. As an exclusive for this year, we challenged the students to discuss the topic of climate change in a session led by a journalism expert. By analyzing examples of climate change reporting, they gained insight into how information can be presented to influence readers. Many students commented that the session challenged their assumptions about news consumption, encouraging them to think more critically about the sources they rely on and to seek information from a broader range of sources rather than relying on social media.

This year we also invited Summit alumni to speak with the 2024 participants about their experiences. Feedback from the participants highlighted how inspired they were by the Alumni’s stories, and many expressed aspirations to follow similar paths of growth and self-discovery after their own Summit experience. This session reinforced the lasting impact of the Summit in shaping future leaders and fostering a sense of community among participants.

On the final day, students gave group presentations in a webinar forma during which they reflected on their experiences and learnings from the summit and how they can work together as the next generation of leaders in Japan and the United States to build a better future for the world. With limited time to prepare, some of the students had only a few days to write manuscripts, prepare slides, and practice their speeches. They were very nervous before the event, but with the warm support of the guests and their fellow participants, they were able to give their presentations with enthusiasm and felt a strong sense of accomplishment at all they had achieved throughout the Summit. Guests commented, “It was impressive that the students were able to show how and what they learned through the activities of their global classmates and this summit in a very easy-to-understand manner.” And, “It was just wonderful. Each student’s presentation was unique and the topics were all interesting. It was great to see how they were able to express their own opinions while at the same time respecting the others. It was a great pleasure to observe such an excellent group of students. I am sure that they will play special leadership roles in their own fields.”

Summit 2024 Participants

- Christopher Stamataky - Northern Valley Demarest Regional High School (New Jersey)
  
  One of the main interests that I developed through the Summit was pursuing a career in diplomacy. This could be as a diplomat or another figure that supports international relations. This interest in diplomacy was sparked by the countless activities and influential figures that came to speak with us. This allowed me to realize how important it is to deepen the connections between America and Japan and how my generation is the future. I realized that I must play a part in strengthening relationships between America and Japan.
  It was an extremely transformative program that has changed my life and perspective on life. I feel as though it not only allowed me to mature as a student but also given me a wider view of the world. I know for a fact that the lessons that I learned and the experiences that I gained will benefit me for the rest of my life.
- Aanya Singh - Los Gatos High School (California)
  
  I have become more understanding of having a global and international way of thinking. After being able to interact with students from different backgrounds and experiences, I was able to apply what I learned from them into my everyday life. From the guest speakers, I was able to get a better understanding of international relations and how global companies impact our lives.
  Before the Summit, I was planning to study economics and finance in university with the goal of working in a technology company because that was all I really was exposed to in terms of jobs growing up. During the summit, I realized that there are so many more types of jobs out there, and I should not try to stay in the mold of what I have known my whole life. I am more interested in international relations and economics and hope to work abroad in the future.
- Danielle Odumade - Eleanor Roosevelt High School (Maryland)
  
  I learned more about the life of Japanese students, Japanese culture, topics that interest me like international business and public transportation through the Summit. I have always been interested in public transportation and making it more accessible for everyone but this summit added fuel to this interest of mine because of how much I heard from others on where they stand on the matter. The Summit wasn't just a way to strengthen my Japanese skills (though it did help tremendously with that), but I had the chance to be exposed to people that I would never be able to meet otherwise and got to hear from people of so many different backgrounds.

- Chidimma Vivian Rin Inoue - Yokohama Shogyo High School
  
  I have always been interested in international relations, but now I feel more strongly that I want to make an impact on the current international society and make it better. I don’t want to do something just anyone can do, but I want to do something that only young people can do, and it is precisely because we are young that we can do for the international community. I realized that it's not just about using foreign languages, but about what you do with them that matters the most. I want to contribute to society while using foreign languages. In this seemingly long yet short period, I gained many skills that led to personal growth, and this growth has given me confidence.
- Takane Inoue - Toho Junior & Senior High School
  
  The opportunity to communicate with American students of the same age was very significant for me. I learned how to ask questions effectively and how to express my opinions concisely. Additionally, having the chance to directly hear from and ask questions to professionals who are actively involved in international work greatly helped me in deciding my future career path. Listening to Emma and Hana, I became very interested in think tanks and journalism. I’ve always been interested in geopolitics and had considered studying in the U.S., so learning about think tanks as a career path was one of the most meaningful outcomes of participating in this Summit.

Summit 2024 Sponsors

Global Classmates Summit 2024