Student Blog

2 min read

Last time, I introduced how the APU Human Library came to be. This time, we will share the Human Library experience held at APU.

Experiencing the Human Library

In May of this year, we covered the Human Library event held at the SALC. This time, the "book" was Nayla, a second-year student in the College of Asia Pacific Studies. She shared her journey with seven "readers"—the story of how she overcame her struggles stemming from an introverted personality, accepted herself, and found inner peace. In the venue, readers sat around Nayla, and some nodded as they listened while others shared their own experiences, creating an intimate and warm atmosphere throughout.

When asked if she felt hesitant speaking about her inner self, Nayla gently replied, "When I first participated in the Human Library, everyone was kind, and I wasn't scared." Regarding her first experience as a "book," she smiled and said, "I was able to grow, and I realized there are people who will listen."

Suyama spoke about the significance of holding the Human Library at APU:

"There are many brilliant people at APU, and there are lots of opportunities to talk about your achievements or the thing you've accomplished. But there aren't many places where you can talk about your weaknesses or honest feelings." She continued, "Diversity isn't just about nationality. There are people who have had various experiences, and by hearing their stories directly, your own perspective broadens, and your depth as a human being increases."

Regarding what she values in the operation, she stated, "I want to make a space where no one gets hurt." To that end, Suyama, acting as the "Librarian," strives for meticulous preparation, such as issuing warnings to participants and having pre-meetings with the "books," to lower the barrier to participation.

I also spoke with Development and Learning Support Center TSUTSUI Kumiko Professor, who introduced the Human Library in her lecture. She said, "I especially want people who feel that they have never been discriminated against or felt ikizurasa to participate in the Human Library because people often unconsciously repress painful past experiences. However, even if you try to forget those experiences, they can potentially affect your future life in various ways. Also, it's dangerous when people tell themselves ‘Everyone has some kind of painful experience' and just endure it, making it seem normal. By speaking to someone, even briefly, you can recognize how you overcame your difficulties, and for the first time, you can perceive that experience as something you've 'conquered'—this kind of realization is the first step toward self-understanding."

The Significance of the Human Library

The significance of holding the Human Library at APU lies in its ability to deepen and enhance the quality of campus diversity. It is said that diversity is broadly divided into two types. One is demographic diversity, based on visible attributes like gender, nationality, or religion. The other is cognitive diversity, based on individual experiences and sensibilities. It's suggested that having only demographic diversity can, on the contrary, foster division and prejudice, and doesn't necessarily work positively for an organization or community.

APU brings together students from diverse nationalities and religious backgrounds, but the APU Human Library goes beyond these social attributes. By creating a space where people struggling with some form of ikizurasa or personal issues can speak and share their experiences, it is building a more fundamental type of diversity. This accumulation of dialogue leverages the potential of APU's multicultural environment, fostering a deeper level of mutual understanding and empathy where people connect on an internal level.

Natsuki Aoki

Hello! I'm Natsuki, an APS 4th year majoring in International Relations. I hope to inspire you all by sharing my interesting experiences, new discoveries, and encounters at APU. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!