BIG IDEAS Series

Social Media for Social Good: Promoting Well-being in the Digital Age

ONLINE: On 5 September 2025, UNU will host a BIG IDEAS Dialogue with Meg Hoffmann Nakagawa, founder of Blossom the Project.

Time
- Asia/Tokyo
Register

On 5 September 2025, UNU will host “Social Media for Social Good: Promoting Well-being in the Digital Age”, a BIG IDEAS Dialogue with Meg Hoffmann Nakagawa, founder of Blossom the Project. This online event will be held via Zoom webinar at 12:00 JST (UTC+9).

As founder of Blossom the Project, Meg Hoffman Nakagawa has been at the forefront of using digital platforms to spark open conversations about mental health among young people. By leveraging social media as a space for awareness, connection and care, her work highlights how online engagement can become a powerful tool for breaking stigmas and fostering collective well-being.

Ms. Meg Hoffmann Nakagawa will join UNU Senior Vice-Rector Prof. Sawako Shirahase to explore how social media can be reimagined as a force for good — not only raising awareness but also providing practical pathways to support, empathy and resilience. Together, they will explore how digital storytelling, community-building and advocacy can create healthier, more compassionate online environments that empower young people and society at large.

Registration

Please note this event will be in English; Japanese interpretation will not be provided. Advance registration (by 4 September) is required. Please click on the REGISTER button above to access the online registration page.

About the Speaker

Meg Hoffmann Nakagawa is the founder of Blossom the Project, a bilingual media platform that uses illustration to spark open conversations about mental health and other social issues. She was born in Japan to South African and Japanese parents and has lived in the United States, the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates.

Meg established Blossom the Project while studying at New York University during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on her own experiences with mental health, she communicates the importance of self-care in an accessible and relatable way. Her work has resonated with young people across cultures, creating spaces of empathy, awareness and support through digital media.

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