Established in 2017, the GS Center will soon reach its 10th anniversary. Did you know that the founding of the GS Center was inspired by Diversity Waseda team’s award-winning proposal titled “Japan’s First! LGBT Student Center at Waseda!” which claimed the President’s Award in the Waseda Vision 150 Student Competition held in March 2015? Ten years since winning that award, Mr. Sho Watanabe (hereinafter “Sho-san”), a Diversity Waseda team member, has visited the university.
Sho-san graduated before the establishment of the GS Center but was excited at the prospect of visiting it, having been among those who originally envisioned it. Looking forward to hearing Sho-san talk about the original vision for the GS Center, staff and related others eagerly planned various events for his visit. Sho-san’s itinerary had three parts: a screening of the Diversity Waseda team’s 2015 presentation followed by a discussion forum to facilitate the exchange of impressions and opinions, a talk involving Sho-san and student staffer Haru-san, and a group meeting involving Sho-san and all student staffers and related faculty. The events were characterized by animated discussion throughout.
The Office for the Promotion of Equality and Diversity staffer who wrote this article was a member of the student competition operations team that supported the Diversity Waseda team in 2015. Upon hearing Sho-san’s thoughts ten years ago, I hoped it would result in the realization of this Center. It was deeply moving for me to show Sho-san the GS Center, which has developed even further than when it was first established or when I later transferred to the Diversity Promotion Office and gained the opportunity to collaborate with it.
This article covers only the highlights of Sho-san’s visit, but Haru-san, a student staffer of the GS Center, has written an essay that faithfully details Sho-san’s profound insights, including his thoughts from a decade ago. Please scan this QR Code to read it.
