Notes from the President

Today, I would like to congratulate the 170 students from the College of Asia Pacific Studies, the 14 students from the College of Asia Pacific Management, the 259 students from the College of International Management, the 61 students from the Master's Programs and the 6 students from the Doctoral Program – in total 510 students – who are graduating from APU.

It was here on APU's multicultural campus that you studied with students from 80 countries and regions, helping and encouraging one another as you each carved out your future path. You overcame various misunderstandings and conflicts in your daily lives, and you deepened your understanding of each other through discussions and activities in classes and in circles. Your student life at APU will be a source of moral support for many years to come, and APU will surely become the hometown of your heart. As you leave this campus and step out into the world, I am honored to present you with this message of heartfelt congratulations and hope.

Today's global economic system has been transformed by the IT revolution and globalization. Capital flows over national borders, generating global profits and creating global companies. Some people believe that "profit motive takes precedence over nationalism"; however, rather than a waning of nationalism, countries are becoming increasingly self-righteous in their actions, giving the utmost priority to their own interests.

Unfortunately, APU's ideals of “International Mutual Understanding”, “Freedom, Peace and Humanity”, and “Creating the Future Shape of the Asia Pacific” have yet to become universal in our current world. It is your mission to spread these ideals throughout East Asia and the Asia Pacific. This new generation, with its creative ideas, shall bring forth a new era. The future is in your hands. It is you who studied under APU's noble ideals who will be able to overcome the memories of the past to create new relationships and a new history.

This summer, the band Southern All Stars reunited and released a new song called "Peace and Hi-Lite". The lyrics of the song suggest that, in the 20th century, we should have learned a lesson from the madness and foolishness of foisting our points of view on each other: The situation may be complicated, the song says, but we should learn to see each other's good points. The lyrics urge us to tend the seedlings of hope and bring forth love on the earth. It asks us to consider why people tend to forget the tragic past and their foolish acts. The song ends with a passionate appeal: "Do not hesitate to love." This song is like a ray of light cast into the muddy chaos of today's world, and I think it resonates well with APU's mission.
Freedom, Peace and Humanity: Take this mission to heart as you step into the world, and know that you are welcome to return to APU, the hometown of your heart, anytime.