Kwansei Gakuin Osaka International School 12th grader Lena Kawasaki (17) has received the 2022 International Children's Peace Prize, which is given to young people who have made significant contributions to children's rights.Malala Yousafzai, Greta Thunberg, and Nkosi Johnson have received the award in the past, and this is the first time a Japanese person has received the award.
The International Children's Peace Prize was launched in 2005 at the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates held in Rome, chaired by Mr. Michael Gorbachev.Every year, the award is given to children who have made significant contributions to the protection of children's rights, and Kawasaki was selected from more than 46 changemaker candidates from 175 countries around the world.
Through a book she read when she was eight years old, Ms. Kawasaki learned that there were children in the world who were unable to receive an education due to national political circumstances, and decided to take action to improve this situation. At the age of 8, she founded the Japanese branch of an international NGO, Earth Guardians Japan, to promote young people's participation in politics and society.
Upon receiving news of the award, Mr. Kawasaki said, "I feel that receiving this award is an important sign for young people in Japan. It highlights the importance of the voices of young people in Japan on the world stage. It gives us great strength to keep fighting until each person's voice is heard and their value is recognized."
Through his activities at Earth Guardians Japan, Mr. Kawasaki aims to create a new system that can respond to the changes in the world that children want. In addition to these activities, we are conducting pioneering activities to promote children's participation in politics, the environment, and society around the world.She is also committed to environmental protection, recently being appointed as the youngest CFO (Chief Future Officer) of a domestic bio-jet fuel company.