Learning and Playing Week
Why Do We Learn? Perspectives from Education and Play Agenda 2025 Co-created Programme
Shape New World Initiative
【Hypothesis of the future vision for 2050】A future where everyone shines with their unique qualities and lives with a rich and fulfilled heart.
From childhood to adulthood, we continuously accumulate a wide range of experiences and learn every day. With the advancement of AI technology, the methods and value of learning are undergoing significant changes. In this panel discussion, we will revisit the essence of learning and explore how we can use it to live vibrant lives while honoring our individuality. We will also consider what learning might look like in 2050.
Recorded video available
Discussion
- STEAM
- Games around the world
- Lifelong learning
| Transmission of simultaneous interpretation | Provided |
|---|---|
| Language of interpretation | Japanese and English |
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Agenda2025
Co-created Programme
- Time and
Date of
the event -
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2025.07.26[Sat]
17:30 ～ 19:30
(Venue Open 17:00)
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- Venue
- Theme Weeks Studio
Programme details
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We continuously accumulate new experiences through various environments and interactions with society, from childhood play to school education and workplace relationships. These experiences become part of our learning, which ultimately shapes our personality and values. In this way, learning is a vital element in living a life true to ourselves. With the advancement of AI technology, acquiring knowledge has become easier, and the methods and value of learning are changing rapidly. In this panel discussion, we will explore why we learn, what it means to live vibrant lives while honoring our individuality, and what learning might look like in 2050. We invite everyone to join us in this meaningful reflection.
Reports
【Reflection】
The dialogue programme “Why Do We Learn? – Finding the Essence of Learning Through Education and Play” brought together seven young leaders and experts to explore the relationship between learning and play, as well as the future of learning in 2050. Several important insights and effects emerged from this session.
Firstly, it became clear that “learning” and “play” are not opposing concepts but rather deeply interconnected. Many participants pointed out that play often involves natural learning processes, while learning accompanied by joy, curiosity, or emotional engagement can feel very much like play. This perspective highlights the importance of integrating “fun” and “curiosity” into the design of educational systems and training programmes.
Secondly, the importance of intrinsic motivation was repeatedly emphasised. The greatest growth occurs when learning is driven not by external pressure but by one’s own interests and curiosity. Testimonies from participants—such as experiences in study abroad programmes, art-based workshops, and cross-cultural exchange through dance—illustrated how the fusion of learning and play accelerates personal growth and discovery.
Thirdly, the session highlighted the link between learning/play and the understanding of diversity. Through stories and reflections, it was emphasised that learning and play are powerful tools for broadening perspectives, fostering empathy, and recognising diverse values. In the modern era, where advances in AI have made knowledge itself readily accessible, the value of learning has shifted towards “how to apply acquired knowledge” and “how to connect what has been learned to oneself and society”.
Overall, the programme successfully encouraged participants to rethink the essence of learning and inspired them to carry fresh perspectives back to their own communities and workplaces. The cross-generational and cross-disciplinary exchange also reinforced the idea that learning and play form a foundation for co-creation in future societies.
【Post EXPO Initiatives】
Following the rich discussions of this programme, the organisers and speakers identified several directions for post-Expo initiatives.
Firstly, they aim to develop and expand new educational programmes that integrate learning and play. Building upon methods such as graphic recording, inquiry-based learning, and art-centred workshops, the organisers plan to promote educational practices that move beyond rote memorisation towards approaches that prioritise creativity, emotional engagement, and curiosity.
Secondly, they plan to strengthen networks that connect diverse communities. Inspired by the theme of “learning through global connections,” they intend to create ongoing exchange events and international collaborative projects involving schools, NPOs, and companies. Leveraging digital technology and short-term study abroad opportunities, the initiative seeks to expand access to learning across geographic and socioeconomic boundaries.
Thirdly, they recognised the importance of building a social foundation that supports diverse forms of learning. By amplifying the voices of youth and educators, they aim to link learning with local community development and solutions to social challenges. Examples include supporting inquiry-based programmes in which high school and university students design and manage their own projects, thereby fostering locally rooted cycles of learning.
Through these initiatives, the organisers and participants share a common vision of expanding the circle of co-creation beyond the Expo and working towards a society where education and play cultivate the capacity for individuals to live authentically and vibrantly in 2050.
*Part or all of this report was generated by AI.
Cast
Moderator
Fumiaki Kishino
University of Tsukuba
Fumiaki Kishino is a neuroscientist specializing in the functional changes that occur in the brain during postnatal development. He studies how the brain undergoes changes through interactions with diverse environments. His goal is to identify an optimal educational system for individuals by uncovering how new experiences are continuously transformed into knowledge.
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Speakers
Takanori Nakagome
Connecting the World Through Dancing
Takanori Nakagome is a professional dancer and the organizer of the dance class "Connecting the World Through Dancing." He won the All Japan Student Dance Championship while studying at the School of Commerce at Waseda University. After working for four years at Benesse, an educational company, he traveled around the world, teaching dance to 10,000 children. He now conducts lectures, workshops, and exchange events through dance, connecting children in Japan and abroad via live streaming. He also runs the YouTube channel "Gome Dance Channel," which has more than 40,000 subscribers.
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Sotaro Tsunagi
Owner of TSUNAGU
With a vision of “connecting people and society,” we collaborate with diverse stakeholders—NPOs, companies, and communities—to build teams and fundraise, creating sustainable support systems for social change.
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Haruna Mori
Sustainable Arts Creation Organization, Community for Communities, Loudhill
Haruna Mori is a movement artist. She currently serves as the Representative Director of the General Incorporated Association "Sustainable Arts Creation Organization" and as the Director of "Community for Communities." She is also involved in Loudhill, a project based in Shizuoka that creates stage performances to promote the area.
Haruna has been engaged in expressive activities since childhood, which led her to question the ecosystem of the art and entertainment industries. She works to connect art with social issues through research in art management and cultural economics, stage performances involving people with disabilities and children, and the production of art projects that emphasize diversity.
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Marin Matsuda
BizScribble Inc., Professional University of Information and Management for Innovation
Marin Matsuda is a graphic recorder specializing in facilitation. She is the CEO of BizScribble Inc. and a visiting associate professor at the Professional University of Information and Management for Innovation.
Drawing on her experience as a note-taker for students with hearing impairments, Marin has introduced graphic recording in a variety of settings, from live TV broadcasts to conferences for large corporations and government agencies. Having grown up in poverty and lived with an autoimmune disease, she is deeply aware of the social issues affecting vulnerable groups. Marin strives to create spaces where people can "visualize their options."
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Yuma Tokunaga
NPO EdFuture Deputy Director
Yuma Tokunaga is the Design Lead for the High School Study Abroad Program and Public Relations Manager at NPO EdFuture, an organization dedicated to providing young people with diverse choices for the future.
Motivated by his own experience studying abroad in Canada during high school, Yuma is passionate about offering a variety of opportunities to young people. After working as a kindergarten staff member in Osaka for two years, he has been designing affordable study abroad programs for high school students at EdFuture since 2022, with a particular focus on opportunities in Ireland last year.
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Shinya Hiraoka
Founder and CEO of Stapia Co., Ltd.
Born in Kyoto City in 1993. Graduated from the College of Information Science and Engineering at Ritsumeikan University and holds a Master of Education from the High Tech High Graduate School of Education. Operates the inquiry-based study abroad program "Global Teacher Program," focusing on education. In collaboration with public schools in the Philippines, Finland, and San Diego, has led over 300 participants.
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Learning and Playing Week
Why Do We Learn? Perspectives from Education and Play Agenda 2025 Co-created Programme
【Hypothesis of the future vision for 2050】A future where everyone shines with their unique qualities and lives with a rich and fulfilled heart.
From childhood to adulthood, we continuously accumulate a wide range of experiences and learn every day. With the advancement of AI technology, the methods and value of learning are undergoing significant changes. In this panel discussion, we will revisit the essence of learning and explore how we can use it to live vibrant lives while honoring our individuality. We will also consider what learning might look like in 2050.
-
2025.07.26[Sat]
17:30～19:30
(Venue Open 17:00)
- Theme Weeks Studio
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
- * The schedule is subject to change depending on the organiser's circumstances.
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