「JOES Davos Next」 Project

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Theme of JOES Davos Next 2025: What is Happiness (Well-Being)? ~The Power of “Me” That Connects with Others~

　

📢About JOES Davos Next

This event aims to encourage children who will support the future of sicety to think about and experience the following:

　★Cultivate the ability to research, think about, and share your own ideas on various global issues, and to take steps towards solutions (= autonomy)
　★Connect online with peers who have diverse perspectives and ideas, and work together to solve problems (= collaboration)

Through this event, we hope everyone will think deeply about “happiness” and “social issues”, express their thoughts in their own words, and experience the joy of cooperating and working with others.

You can view the details of part initiatives below.

[2022 - 1st session] The Power to Make Dreams Come True - Mr. Shinya Yamanaka

DAVOS NEXT 2022 Results Announcement Page - [Details here]

[2023 - 2nd session] Messages from Marine Life - Mr. Hidetaka Sakaguchi

DAVOS NEXT 2023 Results Announcement Page - [Details here]

[2024 - 3rd Session] Global Issues Learned from Space - Ms. Naoko Yamazaki (in preparation)

DAVOS NEXT 2024 Results Announcement Page - [Details here]

🌍 Event Overview

In 2 sessions, explore “What is Well-being?”

Now in its 4th year, this event aims to encourage children to think about “happiness (well-being)”, express their own opinions, and deepen their awareness of social issues through collaboration with peers. It also seeks to cultivate the ability to take initiative and act on their own.

The event consists of the following 2 sessions exploring “What is (well-being)?”

🟦 Part I：Keynote Session

We will welcome Professor Sunsuke Managi of Kyushu University, who is active in areas such as the United Nations.

He will give an easy-to-understand talk on “well-being (happiness)”.

The keynote will also feature a Q&A session where Professor Managi will answer participants’ questions submitted in advance, live, during the event.

The keynote will be streamed live and will also be available later on-demand. Pre-event workshops will be held to deepen understanding of the lecture.

🟨 Part II：Share on Session – Topic board

In this session, participants will use an online message board (Topic board) to share their thoughts.

They can also read and refer to the opinions of other participants, helping them to deepen and refine their own ideas.

This is a new approach that replaces the group work conducted in the 1st-3rd events.

While connected online, participants can think and collaborate with peers who have different perspectives.

Through this event, we hope participants will reflect on “happiness”, express their thoughts in their own words, and enjoy the process of cooperating with others.

　

▶Flyer

Event Flyer

　

📢 Event Details

🟦 Part I. Keynote Session

　　🗓Date & Time　　

　　🧠 Theme

　　🎤 Speakers

Profile　　　　　　

　　👤Speakers Profile　　

November 19, 2025 (Wed) 19:00-20:30 (Japan Time)

Live streaming
On-demand streaming available afterward

Well-being (Happiness)

”What is happiness (well-being)? The Power of “Me” That Connects with Others~

Professor Shunsuke Managi

Professor of Graduate school of Kyushu University

Director of Urban Research Center

Professor Shunsuke Managi

Professor of Graduate school of Kyushu University

Director of Urban Research Center

①

Member of the UN “New Capital for Sustainability”Roundtable

Reviewer for the UN “SDGs Report”

Representative for the UN “New National Wealth Report”

These initiatives focus on considering global “happiness” and “sustainable societies”.

②

Author of Measuring Happiness - Understanding Well-being (Chuo Keizai-sha)

Actively engaged in making the question “What is Happiness?” Easy to understand so that anyone can learn about it.

③

Conducts research on the theme “In what kinds of places do people find it easier to feel happiness?” Using satellite images from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency).

This research combines knowledge from AI (Artificial intelligence), social economics, medicine, neuroscience, and other fields to scientifically examine happiness.

④Works with several towns and sports teams on projects investigating how sports and urban development affect people’s health and happiness.

Professor Managi approaches the concept of “happiness” through the power of science. He is active worldwide to help create a society where everyone can live better lives.

　　📚 Lecture Contents　

Professor Managi will speak on the theme “What is Well-being?” Covering the following 4 topics.

①Have you ever created someone’s happiness? Reflecting on the meaning of happiness through personal experiences.

②Can happiness be measured? An easy-to-understand introduction to global well-being indices, as well as concepts such as “tangible assets” and “intangible assets”

③Urban engineering perspectives on creating happy cities and nations. Learning how to build societies where connections between people are valued and everyone can live in safety and security.

④Answers to pre-submitted questions. Professor Managi will respond live to questions submitted by participants in advance

　　👥 Target audience

　　

5th grade (elementary school students) ~ 9th grade (junior high school students)

　　💻 How to participate

　❓ How to submit questions

Please watch via the live stream.

After registering for the event, you will receive a “Registration Complete” email.The email will include the viewing URL and connection instructions. Please send your questions using the method described in the guidance email.

　　🌐 Language

The lecture will be conducted in Japanese. English dubbed versions and subtitles will also be provided.

📝 Pre-Event Workshop Information

For those who have registered for Part Ⅰ: Keynote Session, we will provide information about a pre-event workshop designed to serve as a starting point for thinking about “happiness”. ]Details are included in the “Registration Complete” email.

By participating in this pre-event workshop before viewing the keynote lecture, you can enjoy and deepen your understanding of the lecture even more.

　　🔹Workshop content:

■ Create your own “Happiness Meter”. Refer to the assignment in the “Registration Complete” email and think about: “What is happiness to me?” And “What do I believe happiness is?”. You may express your ideas freely through pictures, words, graphs, etc.
■ Other workshops: Through the prepared pre-event activities, participants will have the opportunity to think about “happiness” in their own way.

　　🎯 Target Audience

Participants Of JOES Davos Next 2025 (individual or school-based participation is possible)

　　🌐 Language

Japanese or English

🟨 Part II. Share on Session – Topic Board

🗓Date	October 15, 2025 (Wed) - December 12, 2025 (Fri)
💻 How to participate	After registering for the event, please use the URL provided in the “Registration Complete” email to sign up for Part Ⅱ. Detailed usage instructions and access methods will be provided. You will then be able to access the participants-only “Topic Board” to take part in activities.
📘 Activities	In this session, participants will post their thoughts on the assigned theme (Topic 4) sent sent after registering for Part Ⅱ, using the online “Topic Board”. Only registered participants can view the board. You can read the opinions of others and refer to them as you refine your own ideas. OG/OB supporters (past participants) will also be available to assist with activities.
📘 Flow of activities	Topic 1 & 2: Engage in these before watching Part Ⅰ: Keynote session Topics 3 & 4: Work on these after the keynote.

　

Event Schedule

Part 1: Keynote Session Registration Aug.18 - Nov.12

↓

Registration Complete email sent

Pre-event workshop information
Submission period for questions to Professor Managu (until Nov.12)
Part 2 Topic Board registration URL (until Oct.13)

↓

Part 2: Topic Board Starts - Oct,15

↓

Part 1: Keynote Session -Nov.19 (19:00 JST)

↓

Topic Board Closes - Dec.12

How to Apply

＜Entry Period＞

Part Ⅰ: Keynote Session

Aug.18, 2025 (Mon) 10:00 - Nov.12, 2025 (Wed) 23:59 (JST)

Part Ⅱ: Share on Session - Topic Board

Aug.18, 2025 (Mon) 10:00 - Oct.13, 2025 (Mon) 23:59 (JST)

▶For individual participation:：

Please apply via My Portalマイポータル. (See My Portal registration instructions [hereこちら].)

If participating as a parent and child, please apply from each account.

▶For School Participation： Please apply [here].こちら

Organizations involved in this project:

Organizer:

Japan Overseas Educational Services (JOES)

Co-Organizers：

World Federation of Japanese School Principals
World Federation of Supplementary School Principles

Special Cooperation：

NPO Educe Technologies (Representative: Yuhei Yamanouchi, Professor, Graduate School of Information Studies, University of Tokyo)

Haruyuki Tsujimoto, Visiting Professor, Tokyo Woman’s Christian University

　Support ：

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)

Japan FOundation

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)

Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR)

　Administrative Office：

Japan Overseas Educational Services (JOES)

Contact

Japan Overseas Educational Services Davos Next Secretariat
Email: jdnext@joes.or.jp
TEL: +81-2-4330-1341

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