International Network of Universities (INU)Awards and Donations
The 2007 Henry Fong Student Award for Global Citizenship
Yukari Yokoo
The International Network of Universities proudly presents the winner of the 2007 Henry Fong Student Award for Global Citizenship:
Yukari Yokoo, a senior at Hiroshima University, Japan.
Born: 1986
Family: parents and one brother and one sister
Course of Study: European and American Literature and Languages
Interests: taking pictures, traveling (especially going to the hot springs with my friends or family!), climbing and doing karaoke...I also like acting and seeing drama.
Music: Anything, but I prefer rock music. My favourite singers are James Blunt, and Remioromen and GReeeN (in Japan).
Last seen film: The Devil Wears Prada
Last read book (for fun): Harry Potter (in English but I haven't read the last one!) and James and the Giant Peach.
Jo Watts, from the INU Secretariat, conducted an e-Interview with Yukari to find out what her plans now that she has won the Award.
Yukari, congratulations on winning the first ever Henry Fong Student Award for Global Citizenship. Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m 21 and now am a senior at Hiroshima University in Japan. I have lived in Hiroshima for more than 10 years, but was born in Okayama (near Hiroshima). I’m interested in foreign cultures since I went to Australia in my high school days. I like English so much and belong to English drama club in my university!
What was your reaction when you first heard that you had won the Award?
I just couldn’t believe it! The news made me so excited! I read through the e-mail for three times...when I found that I won the Award, I didn’t know what to do! I was already going to work next year!
What did your family and friends say when you told them you had won?
They were happy with this news, though at first they just got surprised as I did.
Now you have the INU Award for a semester of exchange, where do you want to go?
I’d like to go to La Trobe University in Australia. Since I went to Australia in my high school days, I have been interested in Australian cultures. Also, I’d like to learn peace studies.
What made you want to attend the INU Seminar on Global Citizenship and Peace in Hiroshima this August?
Although I have lived in Hiroshima more than 10 years, I had almost no opportunities to discuss peace with my friends. I have learned much about peace, but I thought I just had knowledge. So I decided to attend the INU seminar.
Have you made any changes to your lifestyle since you attended the seminar? If so, what are they?
Yes, of course! It is a small thing, but I started taking my own chopsticks for environment and trying not to use much chopsticks made from wood.
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?
Please do not lose your chance! If you feel like attending the seminar, it’s time to take an action! This experience will open your eyes to the world, I’m sure.
What are your plans for the future, after you graduate from Hiroshima University?
I finished my job hunting and I am going to work at one of the education companies in Japan when I come back. But I want to study other countries cultures and environmental problems as my lifelong concern as well as develop my English skills!!!
Yukari Yokoo was singled out from a number of very good submissions from the students who participated in the 2007 Student seminar on Global Citizenship in Hiroshima. We congratulate Yukari on being the second student awarded the Henry Fong Award for Global Citizenship. Read her winning contribution (pdf).
The 2006 winner of the Award was Eri Shigematsu, also a student at Hiroshima University.
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.
