AIG has developed distinctive programs to enable children who will forge the future of Japan to demonstrate their rich character and take pride in themselves while respecting those who have different ideas and backgrounds.
AIG High School Diplomats Program
AIG General Insurance Company co-sponsors the AIG High School Diplomats Program during summer vacation to promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Japanese and American high school students. This program is part of AIG's social contribution activities and aims to foster future leaders in international society, and has been supported continuously for more than 30 years.
This program consists of the U.S. program, where 40 high school students selected from all over Japan have visited the East Coast of America as high school diplomats each year since 1987 and the Japan program, where 20 American high school students have been selected each year to visit Japan since 1994. More than 3,800 high school students combined from Japan and the U.S. have participated.
The most notable characteristic that the U.S. and Japan programs share is that the Japanese and American high school students live in a facility like a college dormitory with a roommate for 10 days, and that includes time for them to meet, ask questions, and find out about each other's interests. As they realize acutely the importance and difficulty of conveying their own ideas, the participating students learn to respect each other, and it becomes an opportunity to make life-long friends. They may also gain major impetus and awareness to design their own path for their future.
Please see the official site below for video recordings of activities and more information about the program.
Anti-Bullying Slogan Contest
AIG General Insurance Company co-sponsors the Anti-Bullying Slogan Contest (sponsorship: Anti-Bullying Slogan Contest Executive Committee). AIG has been providing support continuously since the first time the Anti-Bullying Slogan Contest was held in 2007 with the goal of contributing to the promotion of schools that overflow with smiling faces, and where children, students and those around them can achieve their hopes and dreams, by creating opportunities for children and students to each think about bullying.
This contest is hosted by the Anti-Bullying Slogan Contest Executive Committee and PTAs (support: boards of education) in many places all over Japan, with the support of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and every year they seek the slogans from elementary and middle schools all over Japan on the theme of anti-bullying and select prize winners from among approximately 500,000 slogans.
Please see the official website below for more information on the contest.
Activities to advance public awareness on autism and developmental disabilities
World Autism Awareness Day /Developmental Disabilities Awareness Week
AIG Group has been engaged in awareness activities since 2013 to deepen the understanding of autism and developmental disabilities on April 2, designated by the United Nations as World Autism Awareness Day.
Because the theme color of autism awareness and AIG's corporate color are both blue, AIG employees wear something blue on April 2, and use blue decorations to liven up the interior at the Company. Also, AIG holds seminars in the company to deepen awareness of autism and developmental disabilities.
Additionally, AIG connects with groups in local communities where we have businesses that are related to autism or developmental disabilities, and AIG Group employees volunteer for local awareness activities such as Light It Up Blue events. At those times employees make awareness goods (button badges and mask cases to distribute) and offer support for activities in each region.
Even at other times outside of April, one employee volunteer group (ERG), disAbility & Allies ERG, is at the center of conducting volunteer activities including volunteer initiatives at local special support schools.
AIG original T-shirts
AIG employees attend volunteer activities or sports events wearing AIG original T-shirts to foster a sense of unity. This T-shirt was made based on a design by Maeda Junta, who lives in Nagasaki Prefecture and has autism, with the message, "An attractive society where people who have different characters, abilities, and thinking are active."