Hiroshima UniversityResearch Center for Diversity and Inclusion

CEDAR Hiroshima

CEDAR Hiroshima

ReCDI (the Research Center for Diversity and Inclusion) collaborate with an educational network, CEDAR (Communities Engaging with Difference and Religion) and organize workshops, study meetings, seminars and university courses.

"Seeing Them in Us, Seeing Us in Them - Workshop for Living with Immigrant Workers in Our Community, Higashi-Hiroshima"

ReCDI hosted a workshop on living with different others in Shiwa Town, Higashi-Hiroshima City to teach problem-solving skills, connect interested people, and encourage social activities, through the CEDAR method. Shiwa Town is a suburb with a rural landscape, but the number of immigrant workers or trainees is gradually increasing. After an incident in 2020 in which a trainee from Vietnam killed her new-born baby, the town has been exploring various exchange activities. In our workshop, the participants had discussions with local stakeholders such as a social worker, community council officers, community welfare volunteers, and local residents. They also had the opportunity to experience the type of training trainees go through at the supervising organization, as well as an exchange meeting between the trainees and local residents. Based on these experiences, participants learned about the difficulties and possibilities of trusting others. The workshop was featured on a local TV program and generated a lot of interest.

Discussion with local stakeholders

Exchange meeting with trainees

CEDAR Activities on Trust and Confidence

Preparation Camp

We, six CEDAR Hiroshima staff members, held a CEDAR-styled preparatory camp on November 1 and 2, 2020.
The objectives were to (1) understand CEDAR experientially and intellectually, (2) build partnerships with collaborators, and (3) draw a blueprint for CEDAR Hiroshima. By traveling to multiple locations in one car and spending long hours together for two days, we experienced the stresses and discomfort unique to CEDAR .

The 5th Study Meeting "How Universities and Communities Engage with Each Other: A Report from Motomachi”

The 4th Study Group "How Universities and Communities Engage with Each Other: : TV Drama, Motomachi Apartments”

July 18, 2020, 9:30-12:00 @ web
Conducted as a joint study meeting with the 7th LIDIC Hiroshima (Living with Different Cultures in Hiroshima).

Machiko Oike（Director of ReCDI）
Lecture title: My Position on the "Motomachi Problem": Knowing Others, Living with Others
Taira Nakamura（Professor, Hiroshima University）
Lecture title: Multicultural and Multiethnic Society in Hiroshima: Analysis of the Documentary Drama Motomachi Apartments
Kwon Hyon Gi
Lecture title: Perspectives from Zainichi Koreans Living in Motomachi: "Community Revitalization" and "Multicultural Society" in Motomachi

The 3rd Study Meeting "Reading ’The Tragedy of Human Rights’ by Prof. Seligman”

March 30, 2020 @ Lecture Room 405, Higashi Senda Campus, Hiroshima University
We read "The Tragedy of Human Rights: The Liberalism and the Loss of Belonging" by Prof. Seligman and Prof. Montgomery and discussed human rights, belonging, community, civil society, inclusion, and difference.
Organized by ReCDI and Research Group for Developing Science for Diversity and Inclusion

The 2nd Study Meeting "Ethnicity, Culture and Education: Japanese Society from the Perspective of Korean Schools”

March 11, 2020 @ Lecture Room 404, Higashi Senda Campus, Hiroshima University
Kwon Hyon Gi (Executive Director, Action for Free Education for Korean School, Hiroshima)
Lecture title: "Ethnicity, Culture, and Education: The Experience at a Korean School"
NAKAMURA, Taira (Professor, Hiroshima University)
Lecture title: "'Multiculturalism or Tabunka-kyosei' in Hiroshima and Japanese Society: Ethnic, Citizenship, and/or National Education" Michiko Fukuda (President, CEDAR Nagasaki; Board Member, Masaharu Oka Memorial Nagasaki Peace Museum)
Remarkomments
Organized by ReCDI and Research Group for Developing Science for Diversity and Inclusion

The 1st Study Meeting "University Town and Multicultural Society: Reality of Japanese Language Education in Higashihiroshima

March 10, 2020 @ Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima Campus, Gakushi Kaikan
Riho Sakurai (Associate Professor, Hiroshima University)
Lecture title: "Multicultural understanding in Japanese primary and junior secondary schools”
Reiko Okumura (Vice President, Kodomo no Hiroba Yaccharu)
Lecture title: "Multiculturalism in Japanese Language Classes in Higashi-hiroshima”
Organized by ReCDI and Research Group for Developing Science for Diversity and Inclusion

The 4th Field Trip "Supervising Organizaiton for Technical Intern Trainees"

On June 14, 2022, we visited the Higashihiroshima Training Facility of TECS or Technical Expert Training Cooperative Society. The current national regulation requires technical intern trainees to undergo one month of training after their arrival in Japan. While most supervising organizations subcontract this training, TECS conducts the residential training in their own facility.

The 3rd Field Trip "Initiatives of Kure City”

On March 6, 2020, we visited Kure City Hall. We met with Takamasa Idehata, a Kure City Council member, Toru Une, a city official in charge of international relations , Akiko Katayama of the International Exchange Center, and Shinji Takahashi of the City Board of Education, who explained about international exchange and support for foreigners in Kure City.

Second Field Trip "The Church in Kure”

On February 9, 2020, we visited Catholic Kure Church. At Kure Church, multilingual Masses in Japanese, English, and Vietnamese are held on the second Sunday of each month, and English Masses on the third Sunday. After the multilingual Mass, a meeting is held at a facility next to the cathedral for socializing. On the day we visited, Filipino believers prepared Filipino snacks for everyone to enjoy.

(Photo) Multilingual flyers for support of foreigners are lined up in front of the prayer book.

First Fiedl Trip "Hiroshima Korean School”

On February 8, 2020, we visited the Korean School in Hiroshima City. This was a part of the tour organized by the "Action for Free Education for Korean School, Hiroshima.” After a lecture bythe executive director of the Action, we observed the nursery school, kindergarten, and classes at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels. After the tour, we discussed with the principal on the ethnic culture and language.

(Photo) Students are learning the Korean language, Japanese, and English.

Diversity Seminar "Living with Different Cultures” Monday, March 8, 2021 @ ZOOM
Prof. Adam Seligman (President of CEDAR) Web Lecture

Diversity Seminar, Living with Different Cultures
Mar. 8, 2021@Zoom
Webinar with Professor Adam Seligman
Organized by ReCDI /
Research Group for Developing Science for Diversity and Inclusion
Co-organized by Institute for Promotion for Interculturalism in Education
Supported by LIDIC Hiroshima

With a new immigration system taking effect in April 2019, we expect more and more people from abroad among our neighbors. How do we build a civil society with people of different cultures and values?
CEDAR is a non-profit US organization conducting educational workshops for multicultural society. In this webinar, the CEDAR director Professor Seligman (Boston University) will tell us about the theory and practice of CEDAR.

Watch the webinar video
Read the answers to the qeustions left unanswered during the webinar.

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