Grand Prize 2021 laureate, Mr. Palagummi Sainath visited Haruyoshi Junior High School in the south ward of Fukuoka City.

Mr. Palagummi Sainath, who was participating online from India, and the students watching in their classrooms enjoyed a lively exchange. During the first part of the session, Mr. Sainath gave a lecture, “Reconsidering inequality in the context of COVID-19,” using graphs and photographs to describe the vaccine and economic inequality in India. The students listened intently.

In the second part of the exchange, three student representatives participated in a discussion about “What can we do to make Fukuoka, Asia, and the world a better place in the future?” The slightly nervous students started by introducing themselves in English. They then presented what they had researched and thought about during their first semester classes. Mr. Sainath sent them a message saying, “I am impressed by your sensitivity. It gives me hope.” He gave the students advice on how to bring these discoveries to the next step. It was a very meaningful exchange for the students.