International Network of Universities (INU)Awards and Donations
The 2006 Henry Fong Student Award for Global Citizenship
Eri Shigematsu
The International Network of Universities proudly presents the winner of the 2006 Henry Fong Student Award for Global Citizenship:
Eri Shigematsu, 3rd year student in Hiroshima University, Japan.
Born: 1986
Family: parents and two younger sisters
Course of Study: English Literature
Interests: talking to friends, playing volleyball, cooking (since I came to the UK!!). I'm also interested in language, culture and peace.
Music: I don't have particular type of music I prefer, but at the moment I like Utada Hikaru (from Japan) and Jamie Cullum (from England)!
Last seen film: Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest
Last read book: Books for fun: Pride and Prejudice and Oliver Twist in English; was trying to read Trainspotting but it was too difficult to read....(I heard it's also difficult for British to read!!!!) Academic books: the most interesting book I have read recently was a book about globalisation in education.
Jo Watts, from the INU Secretariat, conducted an e-Interview with Eri to find out what her plans now that she has won the Award.
Eri, congratulations on winning the first ever Henry Fong Student Award for Global Citizenship. Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am 20 years old. I'm a 3rd year student in Hiroshima University but now I'm studying in Sheffield University in the UK. I have 2 younger sisters and one of them is also a student in Hiroshima University. I was living in Hiroshima with my family before I came to the UK !!!!! I like being in the UK but I miss my home!
What was your reaction when you first heard that you had won the Award?
I was really surprised because I haven't expected it at all!
What did your family and friends say when you told them you had won?
My family, they were very glad that I won. My friends in Japan, they were also glad and gave their congratulations to me! Also I have received some emails from the participants of the INU seminar! I am so happy!
What are you doing in the UK at the moment and when will you be back in Japan?
I'm doing East Asian Studies, some linguistics courses related to culture etc., and French for this semester. I am going to do some English Literature courses in next semester as it is my study at home. I will finish all my courses in at the beginning of June, 2007, so I will be back to Japan in June or July!!!
What has it been like being away from home?
I'm really enjoying being in Sheffield !!!! But of course I miss my family and friends back home!!!!!
Now you have the INU Award for a semester of exchange, where do you want to go?
La Trobe University in Australia or James Madison University in the USA.
What made you want to attend the INU Seminar on Global Citizenship and Peace in Hiroshima this August?
I had two reasons. The first one was that I wanted to have an opportunity to communicate with international students since we didn't have enough chance to do so in Japan. The second one was that I was interested in peace studies since I had learned lots of stuff especially about Hiroshima in school.
If you were able to give some advice to other students at your University who were thinking about attending the seminar what would you say?
Do it!!!!!!!! It is a very good opportunity and it will surely give you a wonderful time!!!!
Do you think that you are looking at the world differently now after attending the seminar?
Yes, I think so. I came to think more about peace and global issues after the seminar.
Are you undertaking any studies or activities while you are in England which are promoting and building the ideas of global citizenship and/or peace?
Unfortunately I couldn't find courses to study peace in this university. If I could, I would do them!!!!!!
But when I had to write an essay the other day, I decided to write about reconsidering Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, and I considered it much deeper than I did even in the seminar. I think we can deepen our thoughts while doing other subjects because many things are related to each other, although some times not directly.
Eri Shigematsu was been singled out from a number of very good submissions from the students who participated in the 2006 Student seminar on Global Citizenship in Hiroshima. We congratulate Eri on being the first student to be awarded the Henry Fong Award for Global Citizenship. Read her winning contribution (pdf)
The Henry Fong Student Award for Global Citizenship will be on offer again in 2007. For more information on the Award, please contact the Jo Watts, in the INU Secretariat.
The Henry Fong Award for Global Citizenship has been made possible by a generous donation to the International Network of University by Dr Henry Fong Yun-Wah,
Dr Henry Fong Yun-Wah, a prominent Hong Kong business leader, philanthropist and Honorary Doctor of Letters at La Trobe University, Australia is widely respected and admired for his success in business and for his generous support of education and culture.
Through his generous donation, the International Network of Universities will take an important step towards fulfilling its mission of fostering global understanding and cooperation between developed and less developed nations.
