Describing her intensive, two-week high school exchange experience to Washington, D.C. as "life-changing," Itsuko has stayed connected to US-Japan relations since returning to Tokyo. She was recently invited to a forum for female students hosted by the First Lady of Japan Akie Abe to announce US-Japan cooperation in an international initiative for girls' education.
US First Lady Michelle Obama and US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy both addressed the group of female students on the importance of universal education for girls around the world.
Ms. Obama shared her own story of growing up in a working-class Chicago neighborhood and how education paved the way to becoming an influential figure in the United States and around the world. She also cited many examples of Japanese women who have excelled in their respective fields due to education.
Itsuko felt empowered by Ms. Obama's words. Since the TOMODACHI exchange program, Itsuko has been very interested in sharing ideas with people from different countries and backgrounds and her program experience has fueled her passion to learn more.
Itsuko's takeaway from meeting the First Lady of the United States? "Dream big, keep it in mind, and work on what's in front of me because everything starts from [something] small."
About TOMODACHI
Itsuko spent two weeks in Washington, DC in 2013 on the TOMODACHI US-Japan Youth Exchange, a two-way exchange program that promotes mutual respect and understanding among Japanese and American high school students by focusing on cultural awareness, social entrepreneurship, and service learning.
Meaning "friendship" in Japanese, the TOMODACHI program brings Tokyo high school students to D.C. to learn about American culture and society and to build relationships with D.C area high school students who then have a reciprocal program in Japan, including a focus on the Tohoku region, site of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. American Councils administers a grant from the US-Japan Council, which funds the Tomodachi program.