HUE Students participated in the Hiroshima Messenger (Montreal, Canada) event.

On Saturday, July 18, Mihiro Kato (4th year student in the Department of Business Administration) and Naoki Kijima (3rd years student in the Department of Economics), both selected as “2026 Hiroshima Messengers,” served as MCs at “Montreal Day,” a commemorative event for Hiroshima City’s sister city, held at LECT Shopping Mall.

Hiroshima Messengers are citizen ambassadors who introduce the charms of Hiroshima City’s sister and friendship cities to the general public. Students from our university have been selected to represent Montreal for three consecutive years since 2024.

The two students played a central role in every aspect of “Montreal Day,” from planning and preparation to execution. On the day of the event, they organized a special talk session featuring Laurie Peters, Deputy Ambassador, Canadian Embassy in Japan, and Mario Girard, Representative of the Government of Quebec’s Office in Japan. The students moderated the session by posing a variety of questions, helping to create a lively atmosphere.

At the venue, events included workshops for making original pin badges and miniature signal flags representing Canada and the province of Quebec, as well as exhibits and a quiz rally. Students from our university who are planning to study abroad in Canada this summer participated as volunteers and warmly welcomed the many visitors to the event.

・Mihiro Kato (4th-year student, Department of Business Administration)
“We were able to bring our own ideas to life and were involved in everything from planning to execution. On the day of the event, we were able to help visitors experience the charm of Montreal, and it was a very fulfilling experience.”

・Naoki Kijima (3rd-year student, Department of Economics)
“This was a project full of challenges, as we organized the event almost from scratch and held it at a new venue. Through this experience, I learned both the difficulties and the rewards of organizing an event. I was also reminded once again that international exchange is a valuable opportunity to forge connections between people.”

“Thanks to the deep involvement of our exceptionally talented students in planning the event, we welcomed visitors from a wider range of age groups than in previous years, and we also received feedback stating that ‘the staff were very helpful.’ We are deeply grateful for their involvement in organizing the event.”

In 2022, President Yuko Ishida was appointed “Honorary Consul of Canada in Hiroshima.” The university established the “Honorary Consulate of Canada in Hiroshima” on campus. The university supports the efforts of the two Hiroshima Messengers and will continue to cooperate in strengthening friendly relations between Canada and Japan.