2025 UN Study Tour Held in New York with 24 Student Participants

March 17, 2026

From February 2 to 5, 2026, TUFS has hosted a study programme in the United Nations Headquarters and related agencies in New York City, as part of the 2025/2026 Winter Global Liberal Arts Program, “United Nations Study Programme”. This program, which has been held since 2017, celebrates its 9th year this year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was conducted online in the 2020 and 2021 academic years, but this year, as in the previous year, travel to the United Nations Headquarters in New York was realized.

Twenty-four undergraduate students participated in the program. They were accompanied on their trip by Assistant Professor Keaki Matsudaira, Ms. Megumi Nakamura, the instructor in charge of the program, and Mr. Rin Kuroda, the internal program coordinator.

Group photo in front of UN Headquarters

Before traveling to New York City, the students attended a series of preparatory lectures by Ms. Nakamura in the autumn to gain a deeper understanding of the work of the United Nations. They also conducted group research projects on specific topics of interest. In New York, they participated in briefings by ten officials from various UN offices and agencies to further familiarize themselves with the organization's work.

●UN Departments and Organizations that Provided Briefings
Department of Operational Support (DOS)
Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA)
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Besides the briefings, on February 2, the students joined the guided tour around the UN Headquarters to learn about UN’s philosophies as well as facilities. On the same day, they also attended an introductory lecture by a librarian of the Dag Hammarskjöld Library on how to use resources at the UN for their studies.

On February 3, the students made an honorary visit to the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations. They were welcomed by Ms. Hiromi Ohara (Advisor/ Researcher (Legal), the Political Section), who gave a briefing on Japan’s UN Diplomacy.

Photo from a guided tour of the UN Headquarters

On February 5, three alumni of our university who work at the United Nations—Mr. Tomoya Yamaguchi, Ms. Maiko Nakano, and Mr. Shota Urano—were invited to participate in a panel discussion. Ms. Junko Sato, the local coordinator who facilitated coordination with the United Nations for this programme, also joined the discussion. That evening, the students attended a TUFS Global Community Meeting, where they had the opportunity to connect with members of the New York branch of Tokyo Gaigokai, the TUFS alumni association. （ニューヨークにてTUFSグローバル・コミュニティ会合を開催 | 大学の動き | TOPICS | 東京外国語大学）

Photo from a panel discussion with three alumni working at the UN

In addition to the United Nations-related programme, the students also took part in a bus tour of New York City on the morning of February 5, and on February 6 they explored the city independently, visiting places of personal interest and deepening their understanding of New York, the city that hosts the UN Headquarters.

Group photo taken in Times Square

The programme must have offered a valuable opportunity for the students, Especially, for participants who dream of playing an active role on the world stage, it was an extremely meaningful experience every day. Many participants commented that the experience was a valuable opportunity to reconsider their future careers, that they were grateful to have the chance to learn deeply about the United Nations, an organization they had long been interested in, and that the program became a turning point in their lives and an unforgettable memory.

We sincerely hope that the students who participated in this program will build on this experience and, in the not-so-distant future, play active roles on the global stage.

Photo of the United Nations flag fluttering at sunset