University event explores how Expo 2025 Osaka programme shaped youth leadership, cross-cultural exchange and UAE–Japan collaboration.

At a time when universities are increasingly becoming spaces for global dialogue beyond the classroom, a recent session at Keio University brought the legacy of the UAE’s participation at Expo 2025 Osaka into an academic setting in Japan’s capital.

The session, hosted as part of the course “Regional Culture: Arab World,” focused on how the UAE Pavilion’s Youth Ambassador Programme at Expo 2025 Osaka shaped young participants into cultural representatives, blending leadership training with real-time international engagement.

It also coincided with the first anniversary of the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Centre for Arabic Language Education, a joint initiative between Keio University and the UAE University aimed at strengthening Arabic language and cultural studies in Japan.

The discussion was led by Shihab Alfaheem, who also served as Commissioner General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka. Addressing students and faculty, he reflected on the wider role of world expos in fostering cultural diplomacy and people-to-people exchange.

He highlighted how the UAE Pavilion used a combination of architecture, storytelling and youth-led engagement to communicate its national narrative to millions of international visitors.

A key focus of the session was the Pavilion’s Youth Ambassador Programme, which brought together 46 participants from diverse backgrounds, including Emirati and Japanese students as well as residents in Japan. The initiative was designed to prepare young people to represent the UAE in global spaces while developing practical skills in communication, cultural awareness and public engagement.

Structured around leadership, cultural diplomacy, international engagement and personal development, the programme placed participants directly into the operational environment of the Expo. Youth Ambassadors supported visitor engagement, assisted in Pavilion activities and played a direct role in translating the UAE’s themes into accessible, human-centred stories.

Rather than treating youth engagement as symbolic, organisers positioned the programme as an applied learning experience, where participants navigated real intercultural interactions on a daily basis.

Speaking at the event, Alfaheem said the programme reflects a long-term investment in youth as future cultural representatives and bridge-builders between nations, adding that its impact extends beyond Expo 2025 itself into broader UAE–Japan relations.

From the academic side, Akiyo Okuda said the session offered students a practical lens on how international events like Expo can shape understanding of culture, identity and cooperation.

She noted that ongoing collaboration through the Arabic language centre continues to create opportunities for sustained academic exchange between both countries.

The session also featured a fireside conversation with Youth Ambassadors Meznah Alansaari and Hajime Ogami, who shared first-hand reflections on working inside the UAE Pavilion during Expo 2025 Osaka.

They spoke about navigating cultural differences, building communication skills and developing a deeper understanding of how national narratives are received by global audiences.

During the Expo, the UAE Pavilion attracted more than five million visitors, positioning it among the most visited national pavilions at the event. Under the theme “Earth to Ether,” it presented an immersive journey through heritage, innovation, sustainability, healthcare and space exploration, earning international recognition for its visitor engagement and design approach.