Hi, everyone. Today, I’m standing here to propose an initiative for peace that aims to excite and
engage children worldwide through creative means. To me, peace is having an interest in and
reaching out to others. This may seem simple, but it is not easy. We often unconsciously draw
boundaries or harbor hostility toward others. The feeling of jealousy or hostility is very natural, as we
love ourselves. So, how can we achieve peace? I think about this topic from a scientific perspective. I
conducted a survey on people’s awareness of other countries. The question asked was: “Have you
ever felt hesitation when interacting with people from other countries?” Out of 40 respondents, 24
answered “strongly felt,” 15 people answered “felt more than interacting with people from the same
country,” and only 1 person answered “did not feel at all.” These results were quite surprising to me.
It seems that treating people from other countries as we do our own is currently nearly impossible.
So, how can we change the feeling that people have?
I devised a proposal: World Peace Forest (WPF), a virtual reality game, and the mandatory inclusion
of this game in elementary education. WPF is a virtual reality space that utilizes cutting-edge
technology. By wearing virtual goggles, children worldwide can become the protagonists of WPF and
they can freely explore without national borders. They interact with peers from other countries, learn
about different cultures by tapping on a country’s name from the menu, and attend classes with
children from all over the world. By providing opportunities for international exchanges from an early
age, we can potentially eliminate the invisible barriers we have. I truly believe that diversity in this
world was not created to instill hostility but rather to encourage curiosity and exploration. My future
dream is to develop a virtual reality game called WPF and spark social innovation in international
exchanges. Thank you for listening!