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Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2010
Yokohama, Japan
November 7 – 14, 2010

一期一会 Ichi-go ichi-e (translated: One chance in a lifetime) experience for five Furman students, Nora Collins, Karim Kajani, Marissa Pavia, Katie Shultz and Elizabeth Trenary. The students, along with Professors Cleve Fraser and Jessica Hennessey, departed for Yokohama, Japan on November 5, 2010 to serve as representatives of Furman University at the 2010 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting. APEC’s mission is to gather its twenty-one member economies together annually to discuss three main pillars: trade and investment liberalization; business facilitation; and economic and technical cooperation.

Students and educators from Mexico, the United States and other APEC member economies are invited to participate in APEC meetings through the program, “Voices of the Future for APEC.” To date, Furman students are the only U.S. undergraduates invited to the yearly gathering with the Pacific Rim government and business leaders.  For a glimpse of the schedule of events, click here.

When the group arrived at Yokohama, they were greeted with near waving flags, as banners for APEC.  They decorated columns, posts, and walls galore throughout the city.

They began their week at the Nissan Headquarters in Yokohama, Japan.  The group had the opportunity to hear from Mr. Hitoshi Kawaguchi, Senior Vice President of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd, Ms. Fumiko Hayashi, Mayor of Yokohama, and Ms. Makiko Kikuta, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs for Japan.  Additionally in the afternoon, Ambassador Muhamad Noor, Executive Director of APEC, and Mr. Teng Theng Dar, Co-Chariman of ABAC spoke to them about APEC and the role of the youth.  But the day did not end there!  Next was a tour of one of Nissan’s smart houses and a ride in the new Nissan Zero Emission car called the “Leaf.”  It was impressive.

Each day afforded these types of opportunities. The group attended meetings such as the ABAC meeting and the APEC CEO Summit, interviewed CEOs, attended addresses by Heads of Government, foreign ministers, trade and economic ministers from the 21 APEC Member Economies that included H.E. Naoto Kan, Prime Minister of Japan and Barack Obama, President of the United States of America. They also shared stories with other Voices students about their culture and shared opinions on political issues critical to their economy.

This experience truly is 一期一会 Ichi-go ichi-e (translated: One chance in a lifetime).

Press Coverage

Furman’s press release.