SATOKO HARA
TOKYO, JAPAN
Sponsored by: Rotary Club of Yokohama Kohoku-ku, District 2590, Japan
Language proficiency: Japanese, English, Amharic
Country of Citizenship: Japan
Undergraduate degree : International Christian University - Bachelor of Arts; Rikkyo University - MBA
Areas of special interest: Tourism, Sustainable Development, Community Development
Background to RWPF Award: I have 8 years experience in the tourism industry and 2 years volunteer experience as a tourism instructor in Ethiopia. I worked for the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Japan, just before being awarded RWPF. My experience in the embassy, which gave me the opportunity to observe people struggling for reconstruction after conflict, motivated me to be involved in RWPF.
What are you going to do with your RWPF?: Since my background is closely connected with tourism, I intend to seek possibilities to utilize tourism as a tool for community development in peace-building and reconciliation process, which could contribute to a peaceful future.
Background
I had been working for the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Japan as a secretary to the Ambassador, just before coming to Bradford. Besides that, I have 8 years experience in the tourism industry and 2 years volunteer experience as a tourism instructor in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which completely changed my sense of value and career. While working in the embassy, I obtained a Masters degree in Business Administration (MBA) in Rikkyo University through my dissertation research on tourism attractions which brought economic revitalization to a local area in Japan.
My experience in the embassy, which gave me the opportunity to observe people struggling for reconstruction after conflict, motivated me to go back to an academic field again. Since my background is closely connected with tourism, I intend to seek possibilities to utilize tourism as a tool for community development in peace-building and reconciliation process, which could contribute to a peaceful future.