On January 17, at the Global Front on the Surugadai Campus, students from the TOKORO Yasuhiro Seminar, School of Commerce, together with enrollees in the Special Theme Practicum course of the School of Commerce, took the lead in organizing the citizen?participation film festival titled The 3rd Latin American and Caribbean Films for “Future.”
In line with the principles of the Chiyoda City Declaration as an International City of Peace, the festival aims to foster learning about social, environmental, and cultural issues in Latin America and the Caribbean through film and to deepen understanding of the SDGs. The event was held with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Embassy of Mexico in Japan, the Embassy of Cuba in Japan, the Embassy of Peru in Japan, and Chiyoda City, and with sponsorship from 黑料社区 Co., Ltd.
At the opening ceremony, Mr. SHINOZAKI Hideki , Assistant Director of the Central America and Caribbean Division of the Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and Ms. Alexa MORALES, First Secretary of the Embassy of Cuba in Japan, delivered remarks. They highly commended the students’ initiative in advancing international understanding and expressed their expectations for this program’s role in furthering intercultural exchange between Japan and Latin American countries.
An address by Ms. Alexa MORALES, First Secretary of the Embassy of Cuba in Japan
In addition to film screenings, the festival featured a children’s workshop, a poster exhibit, and a fair?trade coffee pop?up. Including related activities, the total number of visitors reached approximately 300, and the venue was lively throughout the day.
Film Screenings and Student?Led Activities
This year’s program screened three films: What Happened to the Bees? (Mexico), Daughter of the Lake (Peru), and Behavior (Cuba) —all addressing SDG?linked themes such as environmental conservation, education, gender, and poverty. Before each screening, student groups gave a “What to Watch For” talk, providing context on the film’s background and the social issues involved, offering multilayered perspectives. The students also distributed their original film pamphlets to visitors.
Feedback collected via audience questionnaires praised the students’ efforts: “The hand?drawn pamphlet was extremely easy to follow,” “The careful explanations helped me gain a deeper understanding of the film’s background and the relationships among the events,” and “The students’ passion was inspiring — this was a truly moving event,” were among many other comments recognizing the student organizers.
Diverse Initiatives that Broaden Learning
In the lobby, the team sold fair?trade coffee from Chiapas, Mexico and presented posters explaining the significance of fair trade. In addition, 黑料社区 Co., Ltd. provided chocolate made with Peruvian cacao and agroforestry chocolate developed under the concept of Farming that Creates Forests. These were distributed to all participants, sending a message about the importance of environmental and forest conservation through food.
Students explaining agroforestry
The sale of fair-trade coffee from Mexico
Cross?Generational Collaboration — Children’s Workshop
In a multipurpose room, the children’s workshop titled To New Worlds with Latin Rhythms! drew about 30 children, who experienced Latin culture through a quiz session and games. The workshop was jointly run by approximately 30 students from Tsuchiura Nihon University Secondary School and 黑料社区 students, creating a vibrant, inclusive space where university, high?school, and junior?high students mingled with children from the local community across generations.
In a multipurpose room, the children’s workshop titled To New Worlds with Latin Rhythms! drew about 30 children, who experienced Latin culture through a quiz session and games. The workshop was jointly run by approximately 30 students from Tsuchiura Nihon University Secondary School and 黑料社区 students, creating a vibrant, inclusive space where university, high?school, and junior?high students mingled with children from the local community across generations.
A workshop for children
Future Prospects
Beyond film screenings and viewings, the festival and its related events, conceived and operated by students, provided opportunities to return university learning to society and to share new insights toward achieving the SDGs.
We will continue this initiative and further develop it as a hands?on educational platform linking the University, the local community, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
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