Teach For Japan to Host 'Teachers' Day Gathering 2026' Bringing Together Diverse Education Stakeholders

Teach For Japan (Certified NPO) will host the 'Teachers' Day Gathering 2026' on Sunday, October 4, 2026. Alongside the event, a crowdfunding campaign has been launched to open this initiative to a wider audience and create more opportunities for people to engage with education.

The 'Teachers' Day Gathering' is an event that takes place around October 5, designated as 'World Teachers' Day' by UNESCO, bringing together diverse individuals who care about education to connect, share, and learn. This year’s fourth edition will be held under the theme: 'Creating Children’s Future Together with Teachers'.

Educators, school board and municipal officials, students, corporate and organizational representatives, parents, and community members involved with children will come together to take the first steps toward building a society-wide support system for education.

The event will feature three interactive sessions, incorporating dialogue among participants:

Thinking with Daisuke Tamegai – Creating an environment where children can challenge themselves and believe in their own potential

Teacher × Graduate – A teacher and former student reflect on their encounter in an elementary classroom and their life journeys seven years later

Corporate × Education Administration – Practitioners exploring how corporate talent entering public education can drive transformative change in schools

Teach For Japan, having long addressed educational challenges, believes such cross-sectoral encounters and dialogues can spark new practices that shape children’s futures.

Event Overview

Event Name: Teachers' Day Gathering 2026

Date and Time: October 4, 2026 (Sunday), 14:00–17:00 * Networking session scheduled from 17:00 to 18:00

Venue: Otemachi Place Hall & Conference (2F Hall)

Admission: Free

Capacity: 300 participants (advance registration required)

Registration Page

Program (tentative)

Each session will combine keynote talks or panel discussions with participant dialogue. Session themes are subject to change.

Session ①

'How Can Teachers and Society Together Create an Environment Where Children Can Challenge Themselves and Believe in Their Potential?'

Featuring Professor Daisuke Tamegai from the Institute for Co-Creation of Inclusive Society at the University of Tokyo’s Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, this session will explore how teachers and society can support children in believing in themselves and embracing challenges.

Session ②

'Changing the World from the Classroom: The Story of a Teacher and Student’s Encounter'

A teacher and former student reunite seven years after meeting in an elementary school classroom, reflecting on their individual paths. They will discuss how that single encounter influenced the student’s life and what personal transformations it brought to the teacher.

Session ③

'How Can Society as a Whole, Together with Teachers, Create Environments Where Children Can Thrive?'

Drawing from real-world practices of corporate professionals being seconded to education boards, representatives from corporations, education boards, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) will engage in dialogue. The session will explore new possibilities for diverse stakeholders to collaborate in supporting children’s learning beyond the role of teachers.

Networking

Following the main program, a networking session will be held to foster connections among participants. Educators, school board and municipal officials, students, corporate and organizational representatives, and others will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and discover new ways to contribute to education from their respective positions.

Speakers

- Daisuke Tamegai (Professor, Institute for Co-Creation of Inclusive Society, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo) - Yuka Arakawa (High school senior, Head of Tagawa Planners) - Isamu Kita (Representative, Local Education; Teach For Japan Fellow, Cohort 6) - Ayaka Kai (Chief, Student Support Division, School Education Section, Education Department, Administrative Bureau, Izumi City Board of Education) - Shigeyuki Ueda (Education Supervisor, Education Department, Administrative Bureau, Izumi City Board of Education) - Mitsuru Hirota (Former Planning Officer, Policy Division, General Education Policy Bureau, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)

About the Crowdfunding Campaign

To ensure the 'Teachers' Day Gathering 2026' is accessible to as many people as possible, Teach For Japan has launched a crowdfunding campaign. The organization aims to broaden opportunities for parents, communities, businesses, and government agencies—beyond just teachers—to engage with education through this event.

The campaign is hosted on 'GIVING for SDGs sponsored by Sony Bank'. Thanks to Sony Bank covering all platform fees, 100% of donations will go directly toward organizing the 'Teachers' Day Gathering 2026'.

Crowdfunding Project Page

About GIVING for SDGs

GIVING for SDGs is an initiative designed to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by enabling donations to NPOs that address critical social challenges.

[Learn more about GIVING for SDGs] https://congrant.com/jp/corp/sonybank/givingforsdgs.html

Sponsor: Sony Bank

Message from Sony Bank

Thank you for participating in 'GIVING for SDGs sponsored by Sony Bank'.

Your organization champions the vision of 'a world where every child can access excellent education' and has been making sustained, practical efforts to address educational inequality through fellowship programs and on-the-ground contributions. We deeply value your mission.

This project will create a platform where education stakeholders gather, connect, and learn—sparking new educators and initiatives. It is a vital step toward high-quality innovation in education.

Sony Bank shares your mission and the purpose of this project, and through GIVING for SDGs, we will continue supporting your efforts together with many others.

[Sony Bank Official Website: https://sonybank.jp/?cid=cf_gfs059_04]

About Teachers' Day

October 5 is UNESCO's 'World Teachers' Day'. Since 2015, Teach For Japan has promoted 'Teachers' Day' in Japan, creating opportunities for society to support teachers and collectively reflect on education.

For more details about the event and Teachers' Day initiatives, please visit: https://teachforjapan.org/programs/teachersday/

About Teach For Japan

Teach For Japan is a certified NPO dedicated to realizing a world where every child can access excellent education. Through its 'Fellowship Program', which places diverse, experienced professionals as teachers in schools, and through partnerships with schools, municipalities, and corporations, the organization develops talent to support education and builds a societal foundation for supporting children’s learning.