大学の部 3位
新崎 綾女（早稲田大学）

World Bridging Digital Divide

 I have been learning Sanshin, a traditional Okinawan musical instrument, from my grandfather since I was in elementary school. When I was in 5th grade, I realized something weird. Why weren't there a lot of young people like me playing Sanshin? So, I tried inviting several friends from my school to my grandfather's Sanshin class. But many of them refused by saying, "I don't know much about Sanshin, and it seems like the old musical instrument that only old people play.” This really bothered me, so I asked my grandfather why many young people weren't interested in Sanshin. He said that young people nowadays use digital media and the internet to process information, and this makes it difficult for older Sanshin professionals to reach them.
 This situation is called the digital divide. It describes the gap in online information learning due to educational and economic inequality and differences in social backgrounds. According to Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, over 90% of people in 2015 were using the internet and that rate was continuing to rise. However, it states that only around 20-50% of the elder age group were internet users.
 What happens when this divide in new technology occurs? As we can see from the example of Sanshin, when the older and younger generations have difficulty relating to one another, we risk of losing some of our traditional culture. But we can also observe bigger and more significant problems that influence the majority of society. For instance, miscommunication of modern disaster alarms can result in confusion and greater loss of life. Moreover, inequality in access to information can leave people ignorant about the world. When we adapt new technology into our lives, our goal is to make our lives better and bring about a better future. Technological innovations are not supposed to make life and earning more difficult.
 So, am I saying that new technologies are bad and we should not continue our innovation? Well actually, no. In my opinion, there are many examples that show technological innovations playing a significant role in bettering our future. Volunteer institutions use the Internet for fundraising and spreading awareness; online education makes learning cheaper and faster; and artists can reach a wider audience than ever by uploading videos on social networks. Even in the area of Sanshin, there is a lot of potential for using technological innovations. For instance, we can have Skype Sanshin lessons for those people who want to learn Sanshin but live far away and we can upload You Tube videos of the songs that are in the risk of extinction.
 In order to take advantage of all the possibilities technology offers, we must find ways to overcome the digital divide. So today, I want to suggest that everyone become an "innovator", both in new and old ways. Young people know a lot about technologies, innovations, and other upcoming content. On the other hand, older people are specialized in traditional practices and cultures. These two types of innovators need to teach each other to make a balance of information in the society. In my case, I am planning to make my own Sanshin class while I am in Tokyo for university. My grandfather is teaching me how to construct the class and instruct students, and on the other hand, I am helping my grandfather with new ways of information processing like using devises and uploading videos on internet.
 We have a lot to expect from technological innovations, but it's up to us to make sure that we all can benefit. Solving the problem of digital divide is not only about Sanshin. Technology can change our economic and social backgrounds, everyday habits, education and even more, both good and bad. We have to remember that the digital divide is a problem for every one of us. What we need right now is to think about how we can combine our strengths with others to make innovations that benefit everyone. In doing so, we can bridge the digital divide and allow everyone, young and old, to participate in our journey towards a better a brighter future.