Commencement Address for the Class of 2007, Kochi University
You will surely come to realize just how much knowledge and skill you have acquired. You will also realize that you have reached a level that would have been impossible to achieve without the excellent guidance of your faculty and senior students.
We, the faculty and staff, would like to once again express our sincere appreciation for the hard work you have put in during your time here.
As we bid farewell to you, our graduating students, we, the faculty and staff, expect that you will use the knowledge and skills you have acquired at Kochi University—nestled in a rich natural environment—to identify and analyze challenges, and to continue planning and proposing solutions aimed at realizing a true civil society in the 21st century, in which you will play a leading role. We also hope that you will continue to seek feedback and maintain a spirit of striving for further progress.
When I look at the state of the world at large and our local community here, I am deeply concerned that, rather than embracing diversity, we are simply drifting through each passing moment amid widespread chaos.
In the world you are about to enter, I imagine you will frequently encounter values and ways of thinking that differ from your own. At such times, I hope you will take a moment to pause, listen with an open mind, and reflect on the differences between yourself and others. I hope you will approach these situations with the humility to acknowledge others and the depth of thought necessary to handle them effectively.
I firmly believe that if you draw on your knowledge and skills—grounded in a spirit of understanding others and reflecting on yourselves—you will not only be able to overcome many challenges, but also create your own ideal 21st century with your own hands.
With that in mind, as a parting gift to all of you who are graduating, I would like to offer you these words: “What is not oneself is not oneself.”
Please take good care of your health, and wherever you may be in the world, I earnestly hope that you will play an active role in shaping your own 21st century with your own hands. With these words, I conclude my address as president.
Congratulations on your graduation.
March 24, 2008
Kochi University, a National University Corporation, President Yusuke Sagara