Kobe City: Conclusion of Cooperation Agreement with Kobe International University Senior High School

Press Release (July 17, 2024)
Public Relations Strategy Department, Office of the Mayor
The City of Kobe and Kobe International University Senior High School have signed a collaboration agreement to use photographs taken by students of the school’s photography club on Kobe City’s website, SNS, PR papers and other PR media.

Photos Taken by High School Photography Club Members to be Used in Kobe City’s Public Relations Media

Kobe City and Kobe International University Senior High School have concluded a collaboration agreement under which photos taken by students of the school’s photography club will be used on the city’s website, SNS, PR papers, and other PR media.
Until now, photos used in public relations media have been taken by side photographers, commissioned businesses, and city employees. It is thought that photos taken with the sensitivity of high school students, rather than adults, are more likely to move the hearts of young people, as is said of SNS postings. On the other hand, for high school students, photography activities in response to requests from clients (or clients’ clients) is an experience that they do not usually have in their club activities, and it is thought to have the effect of developing high school students who aspire to become photographers as creators. Furthermore, for the city of Kobe, it will lead to a reduction in costs related to photography.

Contents of the Cooperative Agreement

Students belonging to the photography club will take about 20 photos per session on subjects such as events, buildings, people, and nature as determined by Kobe City. Kobe City will use the photographs in publicity media and pay the school a photography fee (12,000 yen/day, half price for a half-day session) and transportation expenses based on the number of days photographed. The number of shooting days is expected to be approximately two days per month. The photography fee will be used to fund the activities of the school’s photography club.

Date of signing the cooperation agreement

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Schools

Kobe International University Senior High School

• Founded in 1963 (Yatsushiro Gakuin High School at that time, renamed to the current name in 1992)
• Location｜5-1-1 Gakugaoka, Tarumi-ku, Kobe City
• Headmaster : Yutaka Suginouchi
• Number of students: 747
• Subjects: Regular Course (Literature and Science Special Course, Comprehensive Prep. Course, Athlete Course), International Studies

Kobe International University Senior High School Photography Club

• Founded: 1968
• Number of members: 30
• Awards｜Academic Year 2023: 2 members participated in the Photography Division of the 47th National High School Cultural Festival (2023 Kagoshima Soubun) as representatives of Hyogo Prefecture; 1 member received the Encouragement Award; in 2024, the club passed the preliminary round of the National High School Photography Championship “Koshien” and advanced to the Kinki block judging competition in which 10 schools in the Kinki region participated; in 2025, the club won the Photography Award at the Kinki block judging competition in the Kinki region; in 2026, the club won the Photography Award at the Kinki block judging competition.

Photographs taken by members of the photography club

The Kodomotte KOBE Club club member appointment ceremony* was held on Sunday, July 7 at Kodomo Hon no Mori Kobe (Chuo Ward, Kobe City) on a trial basis.
*Kodotte KOBE Club
Appoints people raising children in Kobe City as “Kodotte KOBE Club club members” to share their life-size child-rearing life on SNS. This event is the appointment ceremony for new club members for fiscal 2024.