The 66th International Student Conference in Osaka, Japan

The International Student Conference (ISC) was founded in 1954 in order to fulfill the mission of the sponsoring International Student Association, “Contributing to World Peace.” Every year, for two weeks during the summer, students from around the world gather in Japan to engage in academic discussions and cultural exchanges. The 66th International Student Conference will take place in Osaka, Japan from August 16th to 24th. During the span of nine days, participants will discuss and come up with solutions to tackle current global issues. At the end of the conference, participants will share their discussion outcomes through presentations and proposals, which will be submitted to the Japanese government or other organizations.

The overall theme of the 66th International Student Conference (ISC66)  reads, “Global Citizens: Our Action, Our Future.” The current movement of globalization itself is facing numerous obstacles such as terrorism, violation of human rights, inequity, and more. They believe that “Global Citizens” are individuals who are aware of these current issues and determined to take action to resolve those issues. Through problem solving and cooperation, they expect to bring changes to achieve a sustainable society. Lastly, they believe they can also empower peers in realizing themselves as global citizens who are capable of creating a sustainable future.

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Based on this theme, they have set six different academic discussion groups. Each group will focus on a current global issue that relates to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year, the six topics are:

• Surveillance Capitalism: Impacts on Commercial, Social and Political Futures
• Migrant Workers or Modern Slavery? When Local Laborers meet Global Capitalism
• Circular Economy: Cleaner Environment, Healthier Humans
• Endorsing Open Data Initiatives (ODI) While Ensuring Data Privacy
• Climate Activism through Mass Movements: Youth Fighting for the Future or Much Ado About Nothing?
• Overworking in Japanese Society

Not only academic discussions, but also cultural exchanges happen between the participants, and opportunities to visit around Japan are provided. During the conference, participants take part in Japanese cultural exchanges. The opportunity for participants to experience Japanese culture is one of the many charms of this conference. In the 64th International Student Conference, participants experienced dancing to traditional Japanese dances as well as learning how to play Japanese traditional instruments. In addition, all participants are invited to join one of the Advanced Study Tours, which will be held in 6 different locations, including Nagoya, Kyoto, Kobe, Osaka, Okayama, and Kitakyushu. The Advanced Study Tours will take place right before the conference from August 21st to 24th. Through this tour, participants will be able to visit one of Japan’s most famous destinations, and it will surely be a valuable occasion to further understand Japanese culture. Furthermore, during the conference, one day is devoted to sightseeing in Tokyo, and participants visit famous locations such as Asakusa, Shibuya, and Yokohama.