Jul 2025 Newsletter

Facilitating Diverse and Multicultural Spaces

Half the year has already passed.

At the end of June, I returned to Japan for about nine days. It was an unplanned trip, prompted by the sudden passing of my cousin, who was two years older than me.

I was raised by a single mother and spent a lot of time with my aunt’s family, who lived nearby. I was especially close to her eldest son—my cousin—who was close to me in age.

Eight and a half years ago, just before my mother passed away, this cousin rushed from afar to be by her side. I can still picture his expression, filled with disbelief, as he stood by her hospital bed. I also remember how, after breaking down in tears at the post-funeral gathering, he stood up to speak and ended his words with a strong, clear “Kenpai! (To her memory!)”

Back then, I never imagined that he would leave us so soon.

During this recent trip, I had the chance to see relatives I rarely get to meet, which brought moments of warmth and comfort. Still, as I imagined the sorrow and grief of my aunt and uncle who lost their eldest son, I returned to the Netherlands with a heavy heart.

Looking back on the past six months, it began with a sunrise on New Year’s Day that left me feeling a strong sense of intuitive energy. While reflecting on the years I’ve devoted to coaching, I also began to feel a renewed desire to share and expand my other skill: facilitation. That intention has taken root, and I’ve been putting it into practice ever since.

Over the past 25 years, I’ve lived in various regions of the world and worked with people from a wide range of cultural and national backgrounds. For me, there is nothing more important than the skill of facilitation—the ability to design, create, and guide spaces where diverse people can come together—whether in small gatherings, meetings, dialogues, brainstorming sessions, focus group discussions, conferences, or trainings.

Motivated by that belief, I’ve been writing blog posts reflecting on my experiences and thoughts. I’d be delighted if you took a moment to read them.

Moving forward, I’ll be sending out a newsletter via my website hosted on Wix (wix.com). If you’re interested, please feel free to click the “Subscribe” button at the bottom. Of course, you can unsubscribe at any time.

As the heat of summer sets in, I wish you a peaceful and refreshing season ahead.