Autumn Commencement Ceremony Held
September 27, 2018
On Thursday September 27th the Autumn Commencement Ceremony took place at Sakura Hall, the Japanese Language Center for International Students.
A total of 59 students, including 28 undergraduates (13 students of the School of Language and Culture Studies, 15 students of the School of International and Area Studies), 17 master's course students and 14 doctoral course students graduated from TUFS.
TUFS graduation address
As president of the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of you here today who are graduating or have completed your course of study. Many of you will be leaving for new careers around the world, while others of you have chosen to continue on with further study. I wish you well as you embark on new adventures in your lives and would like to say a few words before you go.
I know some of you in the School of Language and Culture Studies and the School of International and Area Studies are graduating a year late because you took time off to study overseas. Do you remember my words at the April 2014 entrance ceremony four and a half years ago?
At that time, I asked you to keep in mind that though our university’s Japanese name indicates only that we are a school for foreign languages, our English name is not the “Tokyo University of Foreign Languages” but the “Tokyo University of Foreign Studies,” an important distinction.
I urged you during your time here to secure global knowledge by applying yourselves across the spectrum of academic disciplines encompassing the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and applied science so that you will be well-equipped to tackle the problems confronting the global community of the twenty-first century. The problems of local societies and those of the global society are closely intertwined in a complexity that can only be unraveled by those with a truly comprehensive and global perspective.
It is my fervent hope that in your time at our university, you have acquired excellent language and communication skills and are fully prepared to unravel and comprehend the intricacies of contemporary society. I urge you, as global citizens, to put the global knowledge and skills you have acquired at TUFS to good use as you work to help solve the many problems confronting our global society.
Now, you will note I have used the term “global citizen.” The criteria for being a global citizen were set forth some 70 years ago by the United Nations in a famous declaration. This is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights passed by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948. The 30 articles of this declaration of human rights define the basic civil, cultural, economic, political, and social rights of all people in all countries. And of course, anyone who wishes to act as a global citizen must be thoroughly versed in the contents of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In Japan, we have an excellent translation of the Declaration, crafted by the poet Shuntaro Tanikawa. Today, I would like to introduce to you some of the articles in the Declaration.
Article 1 We are all brothers and sisters
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2 Discrimination is to be abhorred
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 19 We must speak up, seek and convey information
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 25 We have a right to a happy life
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family. Mothers and children are entitled to special care and assistance.
Article 30 No one has the right to deprive another of their rights
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
As you know, at the entrances to our Administration Building and Research and Lecture Building we have Article 1 of the Declaration of Human Rights displayed on large banners in 27 languages. I sincerely hope that you will take these words to heart. December 10 is celebrated every year as Human Rights Day, and in Japan the week preceding this date is marked as Human Rights Week. As global citizens who will be working in all corners of the world, for you the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is in essence a Passport of Human Rights, and it is my hope that you will carry it with you at all times in heart and mind as you work to make what is still only an ideal, a reality.
Finally, I would like to close with one request. Please join the TUFS alumni association, Tokyo Gaigokai, and support its activities to enhance the activities of our university. As a national university, we must operate under severe financial restraints and the support of our alumni, now including you and those who came before you, is essential. Please become TUFS stakeholders and help us.
This concludes my speech. Congratulations and my best wishes for your future endeavors. Thank you.
September 27, 2018
President Hirotaka TATEISHI
