The Ambassador of Japan to Iraq, Mr. Futoshi Matsumoto, delivered a lecture at the American Space at the American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB), and engaged with students on the topic of “Japan’s Modernization and its Lessons for the Future of Iraq.”
The crowded lecture hall was indeed lively, as Mr. Matsumoto captivated the attention of students, drawing parallels between Japan’s own experience with disunity, relative backwardness, war, occupation, reconstruction, and the challenges of “catching up with the age” and development, on one hand, and Iraq’s experience with the aforementioned. The Ambassador highlighted the centrality of National Identity in the drive for unification, requisite for modernization and development, and discussed attendee students’ views on the matter.
AUIB President, Dr. Michael Mulnix, and senior members of faculty and staff were in attendance at the event that saw remarkable interaction with the guest speaker.