About Us
Mission
Future in the Hands of Children
Our future is in the hands of the children. Whether children grow up to discriminate, repress, and create conflict based on cultural intolerances, as in the aftermath of 9/11 and the suspicion of anyone of Arab descent, depends on how children come to know different cultures, how their interests in other cultures are developed, and if children are able to communicate with individuals from other cultures.
Creation of the "Universal Playground" for Children
Pangaea created the "Universal Playground" as a place where children around the world can, of their own volition, come and enjoy personal bonds with their international peers, through the shared experiences of fun activities.
Respect for Cultural Diversity
Pangaea upholds the spirit of the Cultural Diversity Treaty approved by UNESCO on October 20th 2005, by creating a space where participants can learn to respect cultural diversity and recognize individuals as they are, regardless of their social backgrounds.
Activity Philosophy
Pangaea provides children with a Universal Playground to gain voluntary participation. Pangaea designed the Universal Playground as a place where children can express themselves straightforwardly; share their encounters and experiences with others by overcoming language barriers and cultural differences; cultivate sympathy toward others; and develop personal bonds with peers.
Pangaea offers activities to children, regardless of gender, age, culture, religion, income level, and disease. Pangaea also respects cultural diversity, maintains political and religious neutrality, and contributes to global peace.
Activity Operation
Pangaea takes into account the children's views. Each adult plays the role of a facilitator, instead of a teacher, in Pangaea activities. Pangaea's facilitation is designed to offer children a variety of options for encouraging their self-expression; to give higher priority to exchanging feelings than to providing precise information; and to help children learn compassion for others.
Pangaea has fundamental concepts of activity: children come together to participate in activities, and then they are divided into activity groups. Pangaea contributes to the healthy development of children, using enjoyable and interesting content.
Activity Methods
Pangaea develops its own content and software for building interpersonal connections among children. Pangaea has a strong interest in new technologies, and actively employs them in cooperation with researchers and associations both inside and outside Japan.
Pangaea utilizes information and communication technology as a way to connect to multiple global locations without difficulty and as a tool for fostering spontaneous and productive interaction among children, regardless of geographical distance.
Organizational Operation
Pangaea strengthens its ability to invent its own content and software, and also maintains high levels of artistic and technical quality in production. Pangaea distributes the developed materials to each Pangaea activity field. All Pangaea activity fields are given complete autonomy to design and operate their own activities by incorporating the shared content and software. In addition, they are responsible for modifying their activities, based on community needs.
Pangaea is an organization, managed through democratic discussion: a staff member, who is the greatest contributor to Pangaea, becomes the most influential person in the decision-making process.