Hello, my name is Aya Fukuda. I am currently working at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies as a Program Officer of Online Lecture for Peace and Conflict Studies which aims at collaboration of knowledge by connecting classrooms transcending national boundaries. I met Pangaea through a journalist, Kaori, who had been reporting Pangaea on her news paper. Very soon after I heard about Pangaea, I applied a position of a volunteer. It was really impressive at the first time that I met Pangeans. I strongly felt that the contemporary globalizing world needs Pangaea because of its philosophy and positive atmosphere.

When I was a university student, I experienced the 'trigger' prompting me to join Pangaea. I was belonging to a student group called 'Japan - Middle East student conference' and visited Gaza camps in Palestine. There were opportunities to interview inhabitants in Gaza Camps. Mainly they talked about was the animosity towards Israel. They seemed not to have freedom of move or occasions of meeting other cultures and different people. They seemed to live just in their world. Although it was in daytime on weekdays, children who peeped at us beside a wall were not going to school. On the way to leave there, we were 'attacked' on our back by those children throwing stones or trash. They might try to get us - 'unknown people' - out from their place by imitating adults' attitudes. I found the circle of animosity beyond generations. Afterwards, '9.11', the main reason of the establishment of Pangaea, was happened. I keenly realized the importance of education and communication to 'know' unknowns.