Halla struck in Tokyo

Halla Tómasdóttir, President of Iceland, was the main guest at a seminar on gender equality held at Tsuda University, Shipagaya, in Tokyo last Saturday. Heida Björg Hilmisdóttir, Mayor of Reykjavik, participated in the latter part of the seminar, told about the city’s policy in this area and answered questions.

Tsuda University is a private school for women and is named after Tsuda Umeko, a pioneer in women’s education in Japan. Equality in Japan and Tsuda in honor was issued a banknote with a picture of it last year.

Halla’s visit began with she greeted girls at school, but it showed herself during her official visit to Japan that she is easy to connect with people.

Conversation with parliamentary women

Then a lecture hall was held and the seminar began by Halla addressing guests. She then had a conversation with Japanese parliamentary women Karen Makishima, Harumi Yoshida, Mitsuko Ishii, Takae Ito, Yoriko Madoka, Yoshiko Kira, Mari Kushibuchi and Mizuho Fukushima, but they can be said to span the political spectrum.

Japanese women showed great interest to Halla Tómasdóttir and Heida Bjargar Hilmisdóttir.

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After a break, they discussed Halla and Heida Björg with young people about equality issues. With them were three young women in the school, Mao Nagafuchi, Moe Yamauchi and Maho Ueno, along with Yuki Murohashi, who represented young people in Japan (Japan Youth Conference). Meiko Kawanishi, a reporter at Nagoya News Bureau, led the discussion, but on this occasion Heida Björg told the City of Reykjavik policy on gender equality.

Heida Björg Hilmisdóttir and dr. Yuko Takahashi, Rector of Tsuda University.

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Video of Icelandic representatives

The Equality Assembly began at 10am and lasted until noon. Before that began, the video of the Icelandic youth representatives at the Osaka World Exhibition was shown, which was premiered in the United Nations cabin at the show on the National Day of Iceland on May 29.

Housefill was at the Equality Assembly at Tsuda University in Tokyo last Saturday.

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Women were in the vast majority among guests at the Equality Assembly and it was clear that Halla and Heidi Bjargar’s speech appealed to them. There is a great deal of deficit on women in the Japanese school system. Thus, one of the meeting guests in a conversation with a journalist informed that women manage only a few out of about 700 universities in Japan.

Halla Tómasdóttir, President of Iceland, talks to Japanese parliamentary women on the equality struggle.

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Did not see women

President Halla told a story when she was asked to come to the school bench with her daughter, after her candidacy for president in 2016, and discuss with students. Halla became well -known in Iceland after being second in the presidential election after Gudna Th. Jóhannesson, who was elected president and then again in 2020.

Halla was happy when Halla greeted girls at Tsuda University for the seminar.

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Halla said the matter was a little about the mindset, but the opposite is the mindset of abundance. Then she turned to the importance of considering the rights of boys, as many boys have difficulty finding themselves in contemporary times.

« If we have the mindset, we think that if women and girls get to grow and prosper then men and boys can’t, » said Halla. The reality was that with greater rights, more opportunities were created for everyone, for everyone. It does not take the rights of anyone to increase the rights of others.

« I would like to tell you a story that I think is influential, as you look to us (Icelanders) who are in the top spot in gender equality, but we are very proud to have done it for 15 years. Ask the boys and the girls, 13 years old, to draw a picture of the president, teacher and entrepreneur.

Halla’s seminar advertised outside Tsuda University in Tokyo.

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Have lost wisdom

« It is necessary for women and men, boys and girls, to work with these unconscious prejudices and ideas. It is easier when they are young, » said Halla, who said they have shown the class videos of people who had broken a magazine by opposing typical ideas about the role of the sexes.

« We talked about what they wanted to be, without the restrictions we often put unconsciously on ourselves and others. I think it is very important to take this conversation to the depth.

Tsuda University is a private school for women and is named after Tsuda Umeko, a pioneer in women’s education in Japan.

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I believe that when this dialogue can take place between generations, it will be very successful, « said Halla, pointing out the importance of wisdom being shared between generations.

« We as older are lived in a world where we were not dependent on our smartphones and social media. Then people could connect to themselves and each other and nature and find purpose. For the last 10 years, it has happened that the smartphone has become almost built into our hand.

Women manage only a few of the more than 700 universities in Japan.

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Disintegrating people in the camps

« It almost makes us want to divide everyone into warring groups because we live separately from everything that matters.

« We need to get in the wisdom of those who came before. charm.

Rainbow street in Reykjavik

Heida Björg mayor also discussed gender equality and then turned to the rights of trans people in Reykjavik.

Ruth Einarsdóttir, first in the middle, came to the planning of the seminar, which is a trainee in the Icelandic Embassy in Tokyo. On the right side of her is Álfrún Pálsdóttir, professional director of public relations at the Icelandic Agency.

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She said it was important to nurture the rights of men and women, but should consider the rights of all genders.

« Because now we are also admitting that the people who feel the worst in our community are the ones who find them not being born in the right body. Now we have a special place for people and special support for young people who feel that way. We support LGBTQ people to be open. Reykjavik.

Björn Skúlason, husband of President Halla, is here in the middle. To the left of him are Heida Björg mayor and Yano Mariko, employee of the Japanese embassy in Iceland. Behind them from the right are Eva Bergþóra Guðbergsdóttir, the City of Reykjavik Center, Arnfríður Sólrún Valdimarsdóttir, Cultural City Cultural Director of the City of Culture and Sports, Marta Jónsdóttir, representative

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Equality for all returns better cities

« We also try to show the support in the work by having spaces where people can meet and discuss, and get more support, especially the young people. Now we are looking at how we are going to treat people when it opens on different gender. I think if we just manage to close the gender gaze we would have less health problems, and generally smaller problems, and that would save us a lot of money, « said Heida Björg mayor in a loose translation from English.