Laudacja Promotora
Laudacja z okazji nadania Dr. Yohei Sasakawie
tytułu Doktora Honoris Causa Uniwersytetu Morskiego w Gdyni
wygłoszona przez prof. dr. hab. inż. Janusza Mindykowskiego
Your Magnificence,
Esteemed Senate,
Distinguished Doctor,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a special honour and pleasure for me to give this Laudatio, that is, according to academic tradition, a speech dedicated to the most outstanding individuals awarded with the honorary title of Doctor honoris causa. Such extraordinary persons have contributed exceptionally to the development of science, culture, and economy, and their work has strongly impacted the modern world. Moreover, this honorary title is given to those who enjoy undisputed authority and unquestionable moral standing. I have no doubts that the distinguished Dr. Yohei Sasakawa, who has not only demonstrated an impressive potential to change the world around him, but has also successfully made effective contributions to three areas vital to life: food security, healthcare and education, belongs to a group of the most influential and outstanding personalities from the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Dr. Yohei Sasakawa was born on 8 January 1939. He graduated from the School of Political Science and Economics at Meiji University, one of the best universities in Japan. Looking at his professional career, Dr. Sasakawa has been deeply involved in and demonstrated a long-standing commitment to maritime safety and protection of the oceans, as well as significant philanthropic works in various other global challenges. These two pillars, namely his dedication to the protection of the Earth’s resources and to fighting social exclusion in many forms, have defined the entire life path of Dr. Yohei Sasakawa.
Before devoting his life to philanthropy, he held the post of Director of the Japan Shipbuilding Development Foundation (now Ocean Policy Research Institute) for 20 years. Since 1981, he has been involved with The Nippon Foundation, a private, non-profit organization established in 1962 for philanthropic purposes. Presently, the Foundation is dedicated to providing assistance in the form of humanitarian work and global maritime development.
Among the most important charitable works of Dr. Yohei Sasakawa are, inter alia: work for the elimination of leprosy and support for persons affected by the disease, support for persons with disabilities, and activity in the fight against hunger in Africa. Dr. Yohei Sasakawa sees Leprosy elimination as a personal mission inherited from his father, Ryochi Sasakawa. In 1965, he accompanied his father to a leprosy treatment facility in South Korea. The shock at seeing the discrimination faced by the people affected by leprosy first-hand convinced him of the need for leprosy control. Following this leprosy treatment experience, Dr. Yohei Sasakawa has dedicated his life to helping those who are marginalized and isolated, no matter the reason. Working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO), governments, and international organizations, he has effectively supported the fight against leprosy and endeavours to improve the lives of people with disabilities.
His efforts and personal commitment to humanitarian work have earned him international recognition, including the honour of the role of WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination (2001), India’s International Gandhi Award (2007), the WHO Health for All Gold Medal (2017), and the WHO Director–General’s Global Health Leaders Award (2022).
In providing a brief overview of the achievements of the most honourable Doctor in the area of global maritime development, it should be strongly underlined that they are closely connected with his activity via The Nippon Foundation and the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU). From 2005 until 2025, he was the Chair of The Nippon Foundation and Honorary Chair of the IAMU. Under Dr. Sasakawa’s guidance, The Nippon Foundation served as a key sponsor of the International Association of Maritime Universities, providing research grants and supporting collaborative and networking activities to promote maritime research and lead to capacity building at maritime universities worldwide. This is particularly relevant to Gdynia Maritime University, which is a long-time member of the IAMU and has conducted research projects financed by The Nippon Foundation. From the very beginning, GMU has been actively involved in the Association’s work, hosting the 12th IAMU General Assembly, and acting within the Academic Affairs Committee and serving on the International Executive Board. A GMU representative was elected chair of the entire International Association of Maritime Universities and Head of the Policy and Planning Committee for the term 2023-2025. Due to financial support from The Nippon Foundation under the leadership of Dr. Yohei Sasakawa, GMU faculty members have also actively participated in 12 projects to date, mostly in international collaboration with other IAMU members. As many as 11 GMU faculty members have participated in research initiatives as research coordinators or partners, some of them multiple times. Participation in projects leads to the development of research in the maritime field, acquiring new knowledge, promoting international cooperation, and ultimately the professional development of GMU staff.
During its many years of activity, The Nippon Foundation has created development programmes aimed at producing experts for interdisciplinary, international teams dedicated to tackling problems such as global warming, ocean acidification, the depletion of fish stocks, and issues related to the vast amount of marine waste. The main focus of programmes conducted by The Nippon Foundation is the education of a new experts – leaders involved in the comprehensive protection of oceans, who recognise not only the complexity of the phenomena they study but also their global and communal nature. Under the leadership of Dr. Yohei Sasakawa, The Nippon Foundation is currently conducting projects vital for the sustainable development of ocean science and advanced maritime technologies. Important examples of such projects are:
Seabed 2030 – a project aimed at creating a definitive bathymetric map of the entire ocean floor. The project is critical for enhancing our understanding of ocean circulation, climate models, tsunami prediction, and other critical factors related to maritime safety and sustainable development;
Black to blue – a project focused on such issues as plastic and chemical pollution and ocean acidification; and finally, MEGURI 2024 Fully Autonomous Ship Program – which addresses the challenges of crew shortages and human error in maritime accidents.
In recognition of his contribution to the maritime sector, Dr. Yohei Sasakawa was awarded the 2014 International Maritime Prize by the International Maritime Organization, and has also received numerous honorary degrees and awards from universities and organizations related to the maritime sector. While valuing these honours, it is worth noting that some of the distinctions cited – such as honorary professorships – were conferred by Dalian Maritime University and Shanghai Maritime University – both consistently ranked amongst the world’s leading maritime universities. The full list of distinctions and awards is not limited to those related to his activity on behalf of the maritime sector, but also covers his enormous achievements concerning philanthropy.
A complete list of the honorary degrees of Dr. Yohei Sasakawa includes 27 positions, and the list of awarded honours includes a further 55 positions. The number of obtained honorary degrees and honours is really impressive, but it is the extent of his merits and diversity of the fields of the Candidate’s activity which command the deepest respect.
In nearing the end of my Laudatio, I would like to stress that the nomination of Dr. Yohei Sasakawa for the award of an honorary doctorate by Gdynia Maritime University received a favourable opinion from the Senate of four higher education institutions: Gdynia Maritime University, World Maritime University, Dalian Maritime University, and Constanta Maritime University. Moreover, three invited reviewers nominated by the Senate of Gdynia Maritime University provided positive opinions.
As expressed by Professor Tarasiuk from Gdynia Maritime University, “the dedication of Dr. Yohei Sasakawa to humanity’s well-being and the protection of the Earth’s resources, and his entire life path commands my sincere admiration and deep appreciation.”
Next, Professor Maximo Mejia, the President of World Maritime University, stated that “Mr. Sasakawa’s extensive contributions to maritime safety, ocean protection and global philanthropy, coupled with his leadership and the recognition he has received, make him an exceptional candidate for the title of Doctor honoris causa.”
Finally, Professor Takeshi Nakazawa the Executive Director of International Association of Maritime Universities also stressed that “after careful reviewing the scientific output, achievements listed on the short biography of Dr. Yohei Sasakawa as well as his continuing contributions to the capacity development activities, especially in the field of maritime safety and protection of the oceans, Dr. Yohei Sasakawa deserves the award of the honorary title of Doctor honoris causa from Gdynia Maritime University.”
In summing up, for my part, I would like to emphasize once again that the acceptance of this honorary doctorate by Dr. Yohei Sasakawa is a great honour and distinction not only for the distinguished Candidate, but also for Gdynia Maritime University. I am convinced that he will continue to contribute significant value to the development of our University, serving as its prominent ambassador as well as a pioneer in international maritime education as a whole. His complete dedication to fighting social exclusion in many forms and the protection of the Earth’s resources, focused on the common heritage of seas and oceans, fully deserves to be awarded with an honorary doctorate from Gdynia Maritime University. Therefore, I am deeply convinced that the honorary title of Doctor honoris causa of our University is conferred on the most deserving recipient.