[Dream Class] with Gediminas Grinius: Event Report from Maekawa Elementary School, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture

On Monday, June 15, 2026, as part of the "Nationwide Mountainous Region Future-Building Project"—an SDGs initiative by Trail Runners—we conducted a "Dream Class" at Maekawa Elementary School in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture. This activity served as a community contribution for the area hosting the DEEP JAPAN ULTRA 100, aiming to convey the message that it is possible to turn one's passion into a career while remaining in one's hometown.

This "Dream Class" was conducted as a model project for promoting entrepreneurship education by the Niigata Prefectural Education Center. Ultra-trail world champion Gediminas Grinius, who was visiting Japan for a competition, served as the instructor, while Matsunaga acted as both an instructor and an interpreter.

The "Dream Class" consisted of two 45-minute sessions. The first session was titled "Let's Run Joyfully: Challenge the Super-Athlete!"—an activity where I ran alongside the students, sharing the joy and exhilaration of physical movement. The second session was a mini-lecture themed "What I Want to Tell Children: Find What You Love," in which I explained the importance of discovering one's passions.

After the class, we shared a school lunch together, and I enjoyed interacting with the children.

<This event actively supports the SDGs.>

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