Past Projects
YRP, as a youth organization, has been working on various projects with the aim of creating a society where people from diverse backgrounds, including refugees, can live together.
Here, we introduce some of our past projects.
2020.6.20
Establishment of Youth UNHCR for Refugees
"Think Together: Refugees and Sports"
～Ahead of the World Refugee Day～
The first event organized by Youth UNHCR. Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, the event introduced the initiatives on "Refugees & Sports" and "Development & Sports." We invited guest speakers including UNHCR staff from the Japan office, JICA staff, and an Afghan former refugee who became the first female Olympian from Afghanistan.
Thinking Together with Students
What It Means to Live in Japan as a "Refugee"
An online event hosted by Youth UNHCR, where refugees who had fled to Japan shared their personal experiences and thoughts. Students and teachers involved in educational support for refugees and activities at immigration detention centers spoke about their work and motivations. The event was attended by 80 participants.
Youth UNHCR
Imagining and Making Our Future Competition
～Living Together～
A competition that encourages participants to internalize the concept of "living together" with diverse people, including refugees, and think about what actions they can take to make this a reality. As part of the initiative, Making It Visible Project was also be implemented.
2022.12.11
Youth UNHCR
Imagining and Creature Our Future Competition
～Living Together～
Award Ceremony
The award ceremony of the Youth UNHCR "Imagining and Creating Our Future Competition ~Living Together~" was co-hosted with Setouchi City. The online event took place at the Setouchi City Health and Welfare Center Yume-topia Nagoya, with 146 participants. During the award ceremony, seven awarded ideas were presented by the winners of the competition.
2023.6.17
Refugee Festival 2023 in Shibuya
The world you have yet to see is also your world.
A festival aimed at creating a society where people from diverse backgrounds can "live together," and expanding the circle of awareness about refugees among all people. Young people and activist organizations from across the country participated in activities such as a stamp rally, exhibitions, and workshops.
2022.9.18
Imagining and Making Our Future Seminar
〜Living Together with Refugees〜
To promote perspectives, approaches, and methods for generating action ideas to solve social issues, a seminar was held featuring Yiqun Gong, Executive Director of the NPO Living in Peace, and Yoichi Suzuki, Executive Director of the NPO Wake Up Japan. The seminar focused on four key perspectives: "Inclusivity & Creativity" and "Impact & Feasibility."
2022.6.19
Living Together
～Thinking Ahead of the World Refugee Day～
We invited various actors supporting the creation of a society where people with refugee backgrounds can live together in Japan, including the UNHCR Association, corporations, and social welfare organizations. Under the theme of "Coexistence," they shared their efforts and thoughts. The event received 215 registration applications, primarily from university students.
2021.12
Hokkori Bathhouse Project
～Taking Bath for Someone Else～
A campaign designed to "learn about, spread awareness of, and support" refugees, held at public bathhouses in Shinjuku and Nakano. The campaign featured a stamp rally, in which participants could learn about refugee issues through quizzes and prizes, making the topic more accessible and relatable. The initiative was published by Tokyo Shimbun, and an estimated 10,000 people became aware of the campaign. Donation boxes were set up at the bathhouses, and a total of 185,647 yen was raised.
2021.6.20
Fly your message
ーFly! A Blue Paper Airplane Carrying Your Thoughtsー
Participants created paper airplanes with messages of support for refugees and the Refugee Olympic Team, and shared pictures of themselves on social media. With the support of AMO, an organization focused on IT talent development, a web application was developed, enabling people from anywhere in the world to send messages, even without a social media account.
2020.12
"Connect"
#TellUsAboutTheRefugeesYouKnow
We invited photo submissions on a wide range of themes, including the unexpected or powerful sides of refugees, snapshots of their daily lives, and personal volunteer experiences. These photos were shared on social media. The campaign ran for 10 days, from December 19 to 28, total of five times.
#SharingRefugeeDailyLife Social Media Relay
A campaign themed around "The Daily Life of Refugees," where member organizations connect stories on social media. Each post depicted a scene from the daily life of an individual refugee.
2023.11.25
Youth Global Refugee Forum
Japanese Youth Led Event
Now, create the future #WithRefugees as a whole society
Ahead of the "2nd Global Refugee Forum," the largest international conference on refugees, held in December 2023, this event was organized as a youth-led version in Japan. Centered around the "refugee perspective," we implemented nine programs to promote collaboration across society, with a focus on youth involvement.
2024.6.
Connecting with Refugees Days
Day1: Imagine and Connect, Create Together
Day2: Listen and Connect, Work Together
On Day 1, a workshop was held to help participants view the refugee issue as a relatable matter, with the cooperation of Kanda Institute of Foreign Languages. On Day 2, a panel discussion was held on the theme of inclusion, inviting various actors to share their insights. Moreover, we held a networking session for participants with the cooperation of member organizations.
2025.6.21
Open Eyes, Open Hearts
～World refugee day 2025～
Part I: Workshops by member organizations, guest lectures and panel discussions
Part II: Introduction of member organizations' activities, free talk session
In the first part, YRP member organizations conducted a workshop on simulated refugee experiences. This was followed by a lecture by a staff member of the NPO "Door to Asylum Nagoya" and a person with a refugee background. Also, an overview of the refugee situation was described. In the second part, five YRP member organizations held a talk session with participants.
