What is OECD Tohoku School?
It is an educational project to foster a workforce that can leadthe local recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. It ishosted by Fukushima University in cooperation with MEXT
(Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology), and OECD (Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development, OECD). This two-and-a-halfyear project involves about 100 students from junior andsenior high schools in three heavily-damaged prefectures,
Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate.

Team “WA”

Students from Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate are in the centerof Team “WA,". The team has been also embraced by manyother people, including young people from Tokyo, Nara andParis, and also enterprises. Our logo-mark symbolizes ourcatchphrase, “We are more than our past, more than ourtraditions, at a new frontier” .

Objectives

This project is not only for recovery, but also for opening a new way for the future.
Through this project, students are expected to develop capabilities for driving
innovation, including skills for leadership, creativity, planning, critical andconstructive thinking, getting things done, negotiation, cooperation, and thinking
globally. In addition, through public-private cooperation activities, anunprecedented inter-regional network has been established, creating a bridge toeducation reform.

The main theme of the event in Paris is “Japan Rising Towards the Future” . This
event is the given-mission of this project. The event will be held atChamp-de-mars Park at the foot of Eiffel Tower on August 30th and 31st with thespecial support of the city of Paris, where we will appeal to the wonder of Tohoku.
There will be balloons and dominos to symbolize the tsunami and recovery from it,storytelling by students who experienced the disaster, and 100 panels surrounding
the main stage to tell stories about students’ past, present and future. There will
also be booths by Fukushima Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture and Iwate Prefecture,and some enterprises partners.
On September 2nd we will hold a ceremony to plant cherry trees in the courtyardof the OECD Headquarters, and an International Conference by students andadults. The theme is “My School, Our Future and Schooling for 2030".

Activity of OECD Tohoku SchoolFirst Intensive School, Mar. 25th~Mar. 30th, 2012 inIwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture
Ms. Barbara Ischinger, OECD Director for Education, gave students amission: “In 2014 from Paris to the World, appeal to the Wonders ofTohoku!” and the OECD Tohoku School began. Team “WA” wasorganized by the students. After hearing lectures on recovery, criticalthinking, strategy and other topics, students made presentations
about the recovery in their own local areas.

Second Intensive School, July 31st~August 4th,2012
in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture
There were many kinds of activities including large-scale art toexpress the future, a discussion session for adults, thematic
workshops led by experts, and interviews with people who actively
work in Paris. The most important purpose was to make a groundplan for the event. Though students worked hard, they were not able
to reach the right one in time. Their comment, “We knew nothing
about Tohoku and the world,” left a deep impression.

Funding Activity Dec. 25th and 26th, 2012 in Tokyo

Fourth Intensive School, Aug. 4th~Aug. 7th, 2013 at
Tokyo Olympics Memorial Youth Center
There were discussions to give a clearer shape to the event andthematic activities. We held a presentation about the project with thehonor of having the Crown Prince and Princess attend, and a reception
party with more than 60 enterprises where students actively asked formore support. An Adult Intensive Discussion session was also held withMr. A. Schleicher, Mr. H. Gabor and Mr. H. Gaby as facilitators. Somepeople joined even from outside Tohoku School. Students also madepresentations at some enterprises in Tokyo.

Open Rehearsal, Dec. 25th~Dec. 28th, 2013 in Iwaki,
Fukushima Prefecture

We were invited to a charity event, “Cheer! NIPPON!” . Students
had a talk with some athletes. They kindly offered some goods forcharity. Some of the students made a presentation at UNIQLO, which
was well-received, and which laid the foundation for future
fundraising.

We had an open rehearsal at an elementary school in Iwaki and a resort
facility in Iwaki. With help from an event company, students rehearsed
their exhibits of dominos, balloons, a historic dance and booths of local
teams. In the evening session, a serious talk was made about thebalance of the fund and the event scale. We were able to find thedirection in which to proceed.

Third Intensive School, Mar. 26th~Mar. 29th, 2013in
Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture

Fifth Intensive School, Mar. 22nd~Mar. 25th, 2014 inTakizawa City, Iwate prefecture

Some new students were added. The concept of the event and thelogo mark of Team “WA” were decided. Students also decided thebasic framework of the event, and the main attraction that each local
team would provide. 100 iPad terminals were provided to student sothey could communicate more actively over a wider area. We also
had a meeting with Minister Shimomura of MEXT.

This was the final intensive school. Students looked back over the things
they have worked on in workshops. The day before, some people got
together for discussion on the nuclear accident and the core messagefor the event. In addition, there were workshops for thinking about thefuture and branding of Tohoku, and time for 100 stories.

OECD Forum and LA FOLLE JOURNEE au JAPON
Preliminary visit to Paris, May 1st~May 6th, 2013 inParis
A delegation consisting of 16 students and 15 adults visited Paris forfeasibility study of the event in Paris. Another purpose of this visit wasto seek more cooperation from potential partners. A conference withthose potentially involving people was held at the headquarters ofOECD. Students explained about the project. At a reception given
for Japanese-affiliated companies, students asked for cooperation.
They successfully established a good relationship with students of theJapanese school in Paris and a library association in Paris, people in
the Permanent Delegation of Japan to OECD, the Embassy of Japanand other organizations.
General Project Manager

Two students were invited to the OECD Forum held on May 5th and 6th.
It was the first time that high school students participated in it. It drew
the attention of many people in the Tohoku schools and from aroundthe world. The students gave a presentation with the focus on“resilience” . The audience welcomed them with applause. Prime
Minister Abe mentioned about OECD Tohoku School in his key-note
speech.
From May 3rd to 5th, a music festival named “LA FOLLE JOURNEE auJAPON” was held by French artists in Tokyo Japan. There, Tohoku
School put up a booth, where we sold Jelly from the Date Team andseaweed from Minami-sanriku. They were very popular with visitors andsold out.

Hiroki Miura(Vice president of Fukushima Univ.)

Secretariat Oﬃce Takayuki Nanashima
Zip-code 960-1296 1 Kanayagawa Fukushima City, Japan
Tel: ＋8124-503-3803
Email: info@oecd-tohoku-school.com
OECD Senior policy Analyst Miho Taguma(OECD Paris Headquarters)
2, rue André Pascal - 75775 Paris Cedex 16
Tel: +33 1 45 24 92 65
Email: miho.taguma@oecd.org

http://www.oecd-tohoku-school.com