（TOMODACHIプログラムに参加したUAEの生徒たちが、体験の感動を本にまとめたいと、当社代表の明石にインタビューを行いました。当社の創業背景やプログラムの学術的な背景、そして異文化交流に対する考えについてもお話ししていますので、ぜひご覧ください。）
Recently, I had the privilege of being interviewed by students from the UAE who are embarking on an exciting journey to publish a book. Their project, inspired by their participation in the Online Intercultural Exchange, TOMODACHI Program, which brought together 69 junior and senior high school students from the UAE, the Philippines, and Japan in April 2024, aims to share their insights and reflections with a broader audience. Below, I’ve shared the founding background of AirPangaea, the academic foundation of our programs, and my responses to their thoughtful questions.
I hope the following helps deepen your understanding of our mission and inspires you as much as it has inspired us.
Founding Background:
Go Akashi, Co-Founder and CEO of AirPangaea, Inc., was raised in Japan and had no interest in foreign cultures during his university years. However, during that time, he was invited by a friend to travel around Turkey for three weeks. During this trip, he witnessed things like child labor, ethnic conflicts, and hyperinflation—issues he would never have known about while living in Japan. This experience drastically shifted his focus to a global perspective, both in his professional and personal life.
While he remains grateful for the serendipity that changed his life, he felt uneasy about the fact that "students' interest in foreign countries" still largely depends on their parents' financial resources or random encounters. He realized the need to create a world where every student has the opportunity to experience intercultural exchange.
Upon further investigation into the situations in neighboring countries, he found that Japan wasn't the only country with such disparities. The opportunity to access the world was not equally distributed. In late 2020, Go began discussions with his Indonesian friend Fikri Akbar, who shared his vision, and together they co-founded AirPangaea.
The company initially started by connecting students from Japan and Indonesia, gradually expanding to include surrounding Asian countries. Now, AirPangaea has partner schools in seven countries: Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, the UAE, Japan, and Indonesia. (Before focusing on junior and senior high schools, we also facilitated exchanges with universities, covering a total of 11 countries.)
Academic Background of the Program:
As we advanced student exchanges, we researched existing online exchange programs. We discovered that Western universities had been implementing online collaborative learning, known as COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) or Virtual Exchange, for over a decade. To learn more about these methods,
Go Akashi, who was living in Germany at the time, completed the Virtual Exchange training offered by UNICollaboration.org, which is based on the Erasmus+ program that primarily promotes student exchanges within Europe, while also facilitating exchanges with countries outside of Europe. This training informed the development of the Online Intercultural Exchange, TOMODACHI Program, focused on cultural exchange, and the Online SDGs Collaborative Learning, MOTTAINAI Program, focused on environmental conservation.
Through these programs, we began connecting schools and students from different countries. In 2021, AirPangaea’s activities and achievements were recognized by the Japanese Society of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and were endorsed as a member organization.
Responses to Your Questions:
Q. If you were to sum up cultural exchange in one line, what would you say?
A. It’s about stepping out of your familiar world and encountering different values and ways of life. By embracing this diversity, you broaden your perspective and become a global citizen.
Q. As a Japanese man, what aspects of your culture do you think encourage cultural exchange?
A. One significant aspect of Japanese culture that fosters cultural exchange is the emphasis on harmony, known as "Wa (和)." This value places importance on coexistence and mutual respect, which helps cultivate an openness to different cultures and perspectives. Additionally, Japanese anime and manga are enjoyed worldwide, serving as cultural ambassadors that introduce Japanese culture to people across the globe. These elements play a crucial role in bridging cultural gaps and fostering mutual understanding.
Q. The Indian International School represented both the Indian and the Emirati cultures in the program this year. What did you find most impressive or likable about both cultures?
A. I was deeply impressed by the richness of Indian culture, especially the strong sense of family, beautiful traditional clothing, and cuisine. Meanwhile, Emirati culture in the UAE is remarkable for its blend of modernity and tradition. The fusion of Indian culture with the modern urban culture in Dubai not only shapes the city as a global hub but also reflects the unique character of the region. I’m eager to visit and gain a deeper understanding of this fascinating blend firsthand.
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