The “Dream Class” was held at the Japanese School of Beijing in China on Friday 2 July for the first time in nearly three years with the support of All Nippon Airways (ANA), who has been supporting the JFA Kokoro Project since 2012.

The class was held online due to the influence of the corona-pandemic, in which Mr. SATO Hisayoshi, the bronze medallist of Men's 4x100 metre medley relay at the Beijing Olympics, took the podium as the “Teacher of dreams.”

Prior to holding the class, Mr. Sato shared his excitement to deliver a class to the children who grew up in Beijing, where he had won his Olympic medal, “I am delighted. I hope I can share something meaningful for the children.” In order to break the ice, Mr. Sato started off the class by saying, “Call me Hikky!”

As part of the introductory part of the class, Mr Sato held a segment called the “Hikky Quiz” to familiarise the children with who he was, before watching the footages from the Beijing Olympics. Despite watching a video footage from the past, the children cheered on as if it was a live stream of the race, putting a smile on Hikky’s face.

The positive vibe carried into the matin part of the “Dream Class,” as Mr. Sato enthusiastically lectured the children: “True efforts are made when you are doing something for someone else,” and “The importance of making challenges to achieve a dream.” Despite being physically separated between Japan and China, the children were able to spend a precious time online with the Teacher of dreams.

Following the class, the participating children filled out the “Dream sheet,” where they wrote their dreams along with a message towards Hikky.

The Dream sheets were delivered by ANA to the Teacher of dreams, before the teacher wrote back to each child, as the response letter were once again delivered directly back to the children in Beijing by ANA, along with the teacher’s photograph and signature.

Comment of Teachers of dreams

Mr. SATO Hisayoshi (former competition swimmer)
I am grateful that I was able to meet the children of the Japanese School of Beijing online with the support of ANA. I was inspired by the energy and enthusiasm showcased by the children who are chasing their dreams. Just as the words given by ANA, “Fly towards your dreams,” I hope all of the children I met at this course will take on any challenges to accomplish their dreams. I would like to express my gratitude to ANA and the Japanese School of Beijing for all of their support.

Comment from Supporting company

Mr. HARA Yuzo (ANA General Manager, China/General Manager, Beijing)
This “Teacher of dreams” project provides an opportunity for children of the next generation to have hope for the future and think about their own future by interacting with top athletes acting as their teachers. Its initiative goes along with the basic philosophy of ANA: Built on a foundation of security and trust, “the wings within ourselves” help to fulfil the hopes and dreams of an interconnected world. Due to the influence of the corona-pandemic, this event at the Japanese School of Beijing was realised for the first time in three years. The enthusiasm showcased by the participating children as they listened to the stories told by Mr. Sato, left a strong impression. After witnessing the reactions of the excited children who mentioned, “The class went by so quickly” and “It was so much fun,” it made me realise that the event was even more meaningful because it was held during such difficult times.

Comment of Primary School Teacher

Ms. AOKI Kazumi (Japanese School of Beijing Primary School)
The children were glued to Mr. Hikky, who was friendly and talkative to the children. The number of adults involved in overseas education facilities is very limited, so I think the encounter with the Teachers of dreams was a very fresh and valuable experience for the children. Learning the fact that Hikky went through twists and turns in his life to achieve what he has achieve, allowed the children to relate with him. The individual messages from Hikky will also encourage the children and will surely be a treasure for the rest of their lives. We hope to see a future Teachers of dreams emerging from this crowd, saying, “I was able to give my best because of the story told by Hikky.”

Comment of Junior High School Teacher

Mr. ITO Takanori (Japanese School of Beijing Junior High School)
Let me call him by his nickname, Hikky. Because there are no club activities, the junior high school students at the Japanese School of Beijing spend most of their time within a limited spaces and relationships, so this class provide a great opportunity for them to realise the importance of having a dream. I could tell that the students were drawn into the stories told by Hikky. I have been involved in sports for a long time, including the time I was a student, but I felt that the words spoken by an Olympic medallist were more soulful and persuasive. I am grateful to everyone involved in making this even possible for creating an opportunity for the children to realise the importance of having a dream, striving for a dream, and overcoming the pain to make a dream come true. Thank you very much.