Greetings from the Chair of the Soka University UNESCO Schools Support Committee
In July 2018, Soka University Faculty of Education Graduate School of Teacher Education became a new member of the UNESCO Inter-University Network for Schools (ASPUnivNet). In the future, we will collaborate with universities that have been developing support activities to support the accession of UNESCO schools to primary and secondary educational institutions located mainly in Saitama and Gunma prefectures, mainly in the northwestern part of Tokyo.The United Nations' Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have become common issues at universities around the world. It is a great pleasure for our university to be able to join the UNESCO Schools Network that promotes ESD around the world, with more than 10,000 schools from Japan and overseas, and I would like to see it as an opportunity to fully demonstrate the characteristics of our university.Educator Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, the founder of Soka Education, positioned life as the ultimate in value, stating that "the only value that can be obtained is life, and the value of the surplus can only be established as long as some life is negotiated." At the beginning of his main book, The Geography of Life, he emphasizes the importance of the influence of the natural environment on human development, pointing out that a lack of communication with nature destroys various human virtues. In his 2019 Peace Proposal, Daisaku Ikeda, the university's founder, introduced the university's efforts to address the SDGs and argued that "more universities around the world should devote more efforts to promote the SDGs and strengthen solidarity of actions to build a global society that leaves no one behind." At Soka University, which promotes human education and peace education based on these principles, many faculty, staff, and students have studied with the aim of creating a better world for tomorrow, and have been engaged in various activities such as seminars and club activities. In recognition of these efforts, Soka University was ranked 101-200 in the 2019 THE University Impact Rankings, which is equivalent to the fourth place among universities in Japan. In this way, the mindset of our university is extremely strongly in harmony and resonance with the philosophy of UNESCO schools, and I feel that we can exert great power in our support activities for UNESCO schools in the future. Although the support activities have just begun, all the teachers involved will work together to become a supporter of the UNESCO School movement in Japan in the future.
Soka University Vice President
Kazuhiko Sekita
Kazuhiko Sekita Vice President
How we joined ASPUnivNet
As a school that promotes "Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)" by the United Nations, the number of UNESCO schools member schools is expanding, and the network is said to be about 11,500 schools in 182 countries around the world. In Japan, the Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU) has been supporting UNESCO schools since 2008 as the UNESCO School Secretariat, and as of April 2018, 1,033 kindergartens, elementary, junior high, and high schools, and teacher training colleges are members. In April 2022, our university was also approved as a UNESCO School Candidate. In December 2008, the UNESCO Inter-University Network for Supporting Schools (ASPUnivNet) was established to support schools nationwide seeking to become UNESCO Schools in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. In line with these developments, the University submitted an application for membership to ASPUnivNet in response to the expanded President's Office meeting in May 2018, and the University's membership was officially approved at the regular liaison meeting on July 1, 2018.
《Organization of the University》 (1) Name: Soka University UNESCO School Support Committee (2) Members Chairperson: Kazuhiko Sekita Graduate School of Teacher Education Professor/ Vice President Vice Chairperson: Seiji Yoshikawa, Graduate School of Teacher Education Professor/ Distance Learning Division President Member: Takeshi Miyazaki Graduate School of Teacher Education Professor Hideaki Kubota, Faculty of Education Professor Toshihisa Yamauchi Faculty of Education Associate Professor Masakazu Mitsumura Graduate School of Teacher Education Associate Professor
Kentaro Shimada Faculty of Education Lecturer Naoki Tsuyama Faculty of Education Lecturer Observer: Masashi Suzuki, Faculty of Education Professor/Academic Advisor
Megumi Yamazaki School for Excellence in Educational Development Professor
Administrative Officer Takayuki Yoshimura Faculty of Education Deputy Manager of the Office
UNESCO Associated Schools Support Content
(Students from Nishiura's seminar at our university explained their SDGs initiatives to students from UNESCO School Challenge Schools)
As of August 2018, there are 216 schools that have completed the screening process and are planning to become UNESCO Associated Schools, 16 schools are currently applying, and 61 schools are preparing to apply (during the challenge period). The role of ASPUnivNet member universities is to support these schools in their applications and activities after joining. Our university is the second member university in the Tama area of Tokyo, following Tamagawa University. The activities of our school are as follows:
(1) Scope of support
For the time being, the following 16 cities, towns, and villages and 2 prefectures outside the 23 wards of Tokyo (subject to change depending on the transition of member universities): Hachioji City, Tachikawa City, Akiruno City, Akishima City, Kodaira City, Ome City, Hino City, Higashiyamato City, Higashimurayama City, Musashimurayama City, Fussa City, Hamura City, Okutama Town, Hinode Town, Mizuho Town, Hinohara Village, Saitama Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture Our school will act as a support school for these local schools.
(2) Number of supported schools
Based on the current application situation, we expect to be responsible for 5 to 10 schools per year.
(3) Support details
The following actions are required: ・Receiving communication/contact from UnivNet and the supporting school, we will visit the school in charge or the school in charge will visit our university. - Advice on planning and document preparation for the challenge period ・Pre-checking application documents and writing recommendation letters ・Follow-up after UNESCO School certification
(4) Other Activities
Holding study sessions and symposiums on UNESCO Associated Schools, ESD, SDGs, etc., and training personnel
Collaboration with other groups and organizations related to ESD activities
In the 2024 academic year, under the banner of the "UNESCO School Support Forum," two hybrid-format lectures were held: one in June by Professor Shizuo Nakazawa of Nara University of Education titled "Promoting the SDGs and the Role of Teachers," and another in December by Professor Ryo Kobayashi of the Faculty of Education at Tamagawa University, titled "The Current Situation and Challenges of UNESCO Schools – Toward Fostering Global Citizenship Identity." On these occasions, schools supported by our institution were invited to share their reports and exchange best practices. In response, two schools—Kuki Elementary School in Kuki City, Saitama Prefecture, and Ikubunkan Yume Gakuen— presented their practices during the December forum.
2.2. Participating in the 5th Kanto Regional UNESCO School Conference
On October 5, faculty members from the Support Committee and students from the UNESCO Club participated in the 5th Kanto Regional UNESCO School Conference at Tamagawa University, Tokyo. They contributed to the event by supporting operations, such as facilitating breakout sessions and conducting group discussions. In addition, the UNESCO Club students participated in meetings of the UNESCO Youth and other related activities, aiming to build a student network through exchanges with students from UNESCO Clubs at other universities.
2.3. Conducting a short-term overseas study program
A total of 21 students participated in the UNESCO School training program, which was held in conjunction with an English training course at the Philippine Normal University, scheduled for approximately three weeks in February 2025. During their stay, the students engaged in exchange activities with the UNESCO Club of the Philippine Normal University and visited UNESCO Schools in Manila. In addition to this training program, future efforts will focus on building a network with UNESCO Schools abroad, including potential collaborations with schools in Singapore and Brazil.
"Current Situation and Challenges of UNESCO Schools ~Toward the Development of Global Citizen Identity~" Professor Ryo Kobayashi, Tamagawa University Faculty of EducationUNESCO Club students at the 5th Kanto Block UNESCO Schools ConferenceGroup photo at a UNESCO school visited during the UNESCO School Training Program in Philippine Normal University
1. On November 23, 2018, Soka University Faculty of Education Graduate School of Teacher Education held a lecture entitled "ESD and UNESCO Schools" for elementary and junior high schools and educators in neighboring municipalities under the auspices of the Center for Supporting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and the UNESCO Network of Universities for Schools, in commemoration of the launch of the UNESCO School Support Project.
At the lecture, after a greeting by President Yoshihisa Baba, Mr. Katsunori Suzuki (ESD Activity Support Center Assistant Director) gave a lecture, and expectations were raised for the university's leadership toward building a sustainable society based on the history of ESD and the latest trends. After that, there were presentations on ESD activities by TUFS students and an explanation of the purpose of this support project by Dean Masashi Suzuki Faculty of Education.
The transcript of the lecture will be published in the 8th issue of the School for Excellence in Educational Development Research Journal for the wider viewing of people outside the university.
Mr. Katsunori Suzuki (ESD Activity Support Center Assistant Director)
2. A study session was held as part of the UNESCO School Support Project on "How to Promote ESD in Schools."
On Wednesday, June 26, 2019, the Soka University UNESCO School Project (SUSP) hosted an ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) study session at the Faculty of Education Building of the university. Lecturer invited Mr. Toshio Teshima, Vice President of the Japan ESD Society, to participate in the event under the theme of "How to Promote ESD in Schools," which was attended by about 50 people, including faculty members and students of the university, as well as principals and teachers of elementary and junior high schools in Hachioji City.
Lecturer Vice Chairman Teshima served as a member of the ESD Roundtable Committee of the Cabinet Office from 2007~2018, and has been actively working to promote ESD. In 2017, while serving as the principal of Yanagawa Elementary School in Koto-ku, Tokyo, he received the 1st Japan SDGs Award Special Award. In 2018, he was awarded the UNESCO School/ESD Promotion Achievement Award and the Japan UNESCO National Commission President's Award.
At the beginning of the study session, Professor Masashi Suzuki (Assistant Vice President and Faculty of Education President) gave a greeting and introduced the university's efforts to support UNESCO schools, followed by Vice President Teshima. In the lecture, we confirmed how Japan and the world have changed with the participants, and discussed how school education should be in order to realize a better society. While reading the Course of Study and introducing practical examples of education that realizes sustainable development in the field, he said, "In sustainable development education, it is important to 'ignite learning' in children. And through a place to communicate, children can realize the joy of learning on their own." After the Q&A session, Seiji Yoshikawa Graduate School of Teacher Education Dean gave an acknowledgment.
Participants commented on the following: I haven't been out in the field yet, but I'm going to study curriculum management and comprehensive study time by referring to the ESD calendar I learned today. (Graduate School of Teacher Education student) I was able to understand the concept of ESD concretely. I thought that the fact that he was developing children's independent learning activities – "igniting children's learning" – is exactly what teachers need today. (Elementary School Teacher) I thought it was important not to think about how to perform ESD in a formality, but to start with what I could do. I will do my best to sow seeds for children who will live in a sustainable society. (Junior High School Teacher)
Vice President of the Japanese Society for ESD, Dr. Toshio Teshima
3. A seminar on service learning was held by Professor Farko of the University of Minnesota.
On Monday, July 29, 2019, Dr. Andrew Furco of the University of Minnesota was invited to Lecturer in Room B404, Building Faculty of Education, for the second Graduate School of Teacher Education FD seminar of the year. Service learning is attracting attention as an educational method that fosters global citizenship that tackles the SDGs as their own business. In addition, in order to promote partnerships, which is the 17th goal of the SDGs, it is important to spread service-learning in collaboration with various organizations and groups in the community. Graduate School of Teacher Education is working with Faculty of Education to train teachers who will be responsible for ESD. This seminar was also attended by a number of Faculty of Education and Graduate School of Teacher Education students, even though they were in the middle of regular exams. These students gave positive feedback, such as, "The service-learning method of looking at oneself and thinking about how to live while contributing to society was very new and I learned a lot."
Professor Furko of the University of Minnesota
4.9.21 (Sat) Graduate School of Teacher Education ・ Faculty of Education Joint Forum "Thinking about Education to Support the SDGs: The Role of Universities in Supporting UNESCO Schools"
On Saturday, September 21, 2019, the 5th Graduate School of Teacher Education-Faculty of Education Joint Forum was held in Building Faculty of Education, with approximately 100 participants. In the morning breakout sessions, discussions were held on four themes, and in the subcommittee on "Teacher Education and International Exchange," seven in-service teachers from China and Taiwan participated in discussions on teacher education in China, Taiwan, and Japan.
In the afternoon, after a greeting from Vice President Tanaka of Waseda University, Ms. Sumiko Ohsugi, International Strategic Planning Officer with the International Directorate of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, gave a lecture titled "The New Course of Study and ESD: Thinking about Education to Nurture the Creators of a Sustainable Society." He talked about the role of ESD and the SDGs. This was followed by a lecture entitled "The University's Efforts as a UNESCO School: From the Practice of Miyagi University of Education" by Professor Tomoki Ichise of Miyagi University of Education, who emphasized the benefits of ESD for elementary, junior high, and high school education and the significance for universities promoting ESD through UNESCO School activities over the years. After an introduction by Professor Masashi Suzuki Vice President of the University of Tsukuba on the Inter-University Network for UNESCO Schools, Mr. Seiji Yoshikawa, Dean Graduate School of Teacher Education of the University of Tsukuba, gave the closing remarks.
Here are some testimonials from the participants. "I didn't have many opportunities to deepen the SDGs from an educational perspective, so it was very good in terms of broadening my own horizons Japan. (1st year student, Soka University) "I now understand the significance of the existence of UNESCO School, and I would like to make a concrete request to the principal so that my school can become a promotion base school." (Vice Principal of Tokyo Metropolitan Elementary School)
Keynote speech by Ms. Sumiko Osugi, International Strategy Planning Officer, International Coordination Office, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Lecture by Professor Tomoki Ichise of Miyagi University of Education
Subcommittee "Teacher Education and International Exchange"
5. On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, we held an online mini-forum on the promotion of UNESCO Schools.
Japan invited Toshio Teshima, Vice President of the ESD Society of Japan, and held an online "UNESCO Schools Promotion Mini-Forum" hosted by the Faculty of Education Graduate School of Teacher Education of the University of Tokyo, which was attended by about 80 people, including officials from UNESCO schools in the and Kyushu regions.
This year's forum was held in two parts: the first part was a keynote speech, and the second part was three breakout sessions. The keynote speech was given by Mr. Toshio Teshima Japan Vice President of the Society for ESD, who gave a keynote speech titled "ESD Beyond the Corona Disaster" at Lecturer. The lecture lasted about 30 minutes, but he gave a strong encouragement to the participants, saying, "Just when we thought that ESD was included in the new course of study and that a new education was about to begin, we experienced the coronavirus, and the educational field was in turmoil due to the response.
In the second part of the session, Subcommittee 1 "Curriculum Management to Promote ESD" (provided by Toshio Tejima Lecturer), Subcommittee 2 "Soka University's Efforts as a UNESCO School" (Initiative Report by Seiji Yoshikawa Graduate School of Teacher Education Dean), Subcommittee 3 "Kansai Soka High School's Efforts as a UNESCO School" (activity report by Nakanishi Hitoshi Soka Education Center Assistant Director) were carried out in parallel. A student (Faculty of Education 4th year) who participated in the first session commented, "I was very impressed by Dr. Teshima's words, 'Corona disaster = the entrance to an unsustainable world,' and it was an opportunity to deepen my own thinking about how to perceive the new coronavirus and how to teach and learn children in the Corona disaster."
Vice President of the Japanese Society for ESD, Dr. Toshio Teshima
6. As part of the "Value Creation × SDGs" week to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Soka University, the Faculty of Education Graduate School of Teacher Education Joint ESD Forum was held online on Saturday, December 12, 2020. (Approximately 120 participants)
At the beginning of the session, Ms. Mirai Horie (Professor at Ritsumeikan University and Principal of Ritsumeikan Elementary, Junior High School, and Senior High School) gave a keynote speech titled "Thinking and Practice of Education Incorporating International Understanding and SDGs." In his speech, he specifically described the skills acquired through the practice of "international education" (learning from cross-cultural experiences), the importance of overcoming self-culturalism, and the aims of learning at each stage of development of cross-cultural sensitivity that develops in the process, based on his own experiences and specific educational activities. The seminar provided an opportunity for the participants to broaden and renew their perspectives on the future of the world, which will become even more globalized in the future.
This was followed by a breakout session by UNESCO School Challenge. Two high schools, Soka High School and Saitama Prefectural Kasukabe Girls' High School, gave case reports, and Kuki Elementary School and Yatsushiro Elementary School in Saute City gave case studies in the elementary school subcommittee. Professor Horie was in charge of commenting on the high school subcommittees, and Associate Professor Watanabe of the Graduate School of Teacher Education of Waseda University was in charge of the elementary school subcommittees. Both subcommittees reported on excellent ESD practices, and it was a meaningful opportunity for exchange. At the end, Mr. Vice President Sekita (Faculty of Education President) gave a greeting, and the event ended at noon
Commemorative lecture: Professor Miki Horie, Ritsumeikan UniversitySubcommittee: High school case study presentation "Soka High School"Subcommittee: High school case study presentation "Kasukabe Girls' High School"Subcommittee: Elementary school case study presentation "Kuki City Kuki Elementary School"Subcommittee: Presentation of an elementary school case study: "Satte City Yatsushiro Elementary School"
7. An online exchange meeting for UNESCO Schools was held on Friday, February 19, 2021.
We held an online exchange meeting with UNESCO School Challenge schools, which our university is responsible for supporting. The exchange meeting was attended by one junior high school and one elementary school in Hachioji City, two high schools and two elementary schools in Saitama Prefecture, and one high school and one elementary school in one of Tokyo's 23 wards, who gave presentations on their initiatives and exchanged opinions.
8. On Sunday, June 6, 2021, at 1:00 p.m., as part of the university's commemorative project to celebrate its 50th anniversary, the "Value Creation × SDGs" Soka Education and Global Citizenship Education [UNESCO Schools Promotion Forum] were held online, with approximately 160 participants.
After a greeting by Dr. Kazuhiko Sekita and Faculty of Education Vice President, a keynote speech by Professor Shinichi Ushida, Faculty of Education of Waseda University, entitled "Tsunesaburo Makiguchi Reading 'Folklore Research as an Integrated Center of Teaching'" was given. After the break, Principal Asayo Suzuki, Vice Principal of Nishida Elementary School in Suginami Ward, Vice Principal Masahiro Kamichika, and Senior Research Officer Tetsuya Sasaki gave a practical report entitled "The Challenge of UNESCO School 'NISHITA'" in which they introduced the efforts of Nishida Elementary School, which is both a UNESCO school and a happy school, and how the children are growing. Many questions were asked by the participants during the lecture, which was enlightening and thought-provoking. After that, a general review was given by Kiichiro Narita, Specially Appointed Professor of Jiyu Gakuen's Faculty (University Department), and ended with a greeting by Seiji Yoshikawa, Graduate School of Teacher Education of the University of Tsukuba Dean.
After the event, we received the following impressions. "Professor Ushida's lecture was very interesting and easy to understand, and I wanted to study more. Thank you." "I was impressed by the way Nishida Elementary School put the happiness of children first." "I was inspired by the enthusiasm of Ko Nishida, and I think his thoughts on education are wonderful." "I wondered how it was that the school was making so much effort but not being appreciated by society as a whole. "It's a wonderful initiative, and I would like to make use of it in the management of our school." "I was inspired by Dr. Narita's enthusiasm for the overall evaluation, and I think his thoughts on education are wonderful."
Nishida Elementary School Research Director Tetsuya Sasaki
Specially Appointed Professor Kiichiro Narita, Jiyu Gakuen University
9. The 2nd UNESCO School Promotion Forum was held on Friday, December 17, 2021 at Soka University Faculty of Education Building in a high-flex format, and approximately 50 faculty members and non-university faculty members participated online or in person.
First, Kazuhiko Sekita, Faculty of Education President, gave a greeting. Masaaki Shiha, Principal of Asuka Metropolitan High School, and Minoru Ota, a teacher at Kuki Elementary School in Kuki City, Saitama, gave practical reports. After that, Mr. Masanori Yasuda, former Superintendent of Education of Omuta City, Fukuoka (Director of the Federation of Japan UNESCO Associations), gave a keynote speech.
As Omuta City, which was once a coal mining town, closed its coal mines and its population halved from its heyday, he explained that he decided to work on the creation of a sustainable society with the motto "The fire of education burns red, even if the coal fire is extinguished."
The lecture began with a history of promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) since all elementary, junior high, and special needs schools in Omuta City joined UNESCO Schools in January 2012. The trigger was when I learned that the urban development that Omuta City is aiming for and the philosophy of UNESCO School ESD that I heard from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology are the same. From there, the promotion of ESD throughout the city began.
The Municipal Board of Education established the nation's first UNESCO School Support Center to promote ESD and established a training system for teachers. Omuta City has also established the "Omuta City ESD Promotion Headquarters," with the mayor as the head of the headquarters and the superintendent of education as the deputy director, and each department develops its business from an ESD perspective. In addition, the "Omuta City ESD Promotion Council" was established as an organization to promote ESD by citizens, and the "UNESCO School ESD City Omuta" was declared. In addition, the educational practices that are currently being implemented in each school were introduced. ESD can foster the ability to identify issues on their own and start with what they can do, and how to nurture children who "act independently," and the lecture was deeply impressed by the persuasiveness and potential of ESD.
Finally, Seiji Yoshikawa Dean of Sodai Graduate School of Teacher Education gave an acknowledgment.
Former Omuta City Superintendent of Education, Mr. Masanori YasudaMr. Gaku Ota, teacher at Kuki Elementary School in Kuki, Saitama Prefecture
10. As a regional collaboration project of "Value Creation × SDGs ~ Global and Local" held on June 17, 2022, Vice Chairman Yoshikawa of the UNESCO School Support Committee introduced the activities and Bessho Junior High School, a candidate school, gave a practical report.
At the event, which was attended by about 350 people online and about 200 people at the venue, Professor Seiji Yoshikawa (Graduate School of Teacher Education Dean, Vice Chair of the UNESCO School Support Committee) introduced the promotion of the SDGs at the university and the efforts of the UNESCO School Support Committee. Following the event, members of the student council of Bessho Junior High School in Hachioji City, a UNESCO school candidate, gave an online presentation on their fundraising activities and ethical consumption.
Mr. Yuichi Kimura, who participated as a special guest, seemed to be greatly impressed by the various efforts taken by the students to achieve the SDGs, and sent questions and encouragement with humor, which must have been a valuable experience for the students.
Vice-chairman Yoshikawa of the UNESCO Associated Schools Support CommitteeMembers of the Hachioji Municipal Bessho Junior High School Student Council
11. On Friday, January 12, 2024, at 4:30 p.m., the UNESCO Schools Support Committee hosted a forum entitled "Sustainable UNESCO Schools in Practice and Challenges from Special Needs Schools" in a hybrid format, with approximately 70 participants participating online and in person.
After a greeting by Dean Seiji Yoshikawa, Graduate School of Teacher Education of the University of Tsukuba, two special needs schools, Watarase Special Needs School in Gunma Prefecture and Omuta Special Needs School in Omuta City, gave a practical report on UNESCO schools, and introduced the efforts of both schools and how children are growing. Many questions were asked by the participants during the lecture, which was enlightening and thought-provoking.
After that, there was advice from Mr. Tetsuya Tanno, the principal of Tama Sakuranooka Gakuen, and the event ended with a greeting by Kazuhiko Sekita, Vice President and Faculty of Education.
After the event, we received the following impressions. "I was able to participate in a very informative meeting, and I would like to express my gratitude to the speakers and the organizers. I strongly felt that I should engage in educational activities with a sense of ownership in the children, and above all, each teacher should be aware of the need for peace and as a participant in UNESCO education. I believe that if only the person in charge does his best, the faculty will inevitably collapse before a sustainable society can be created. In addition to training for schools, I felt that the government also had to create a system that would allow us to receive encouragement from the local community in a reverse import manner." (Graduate School of Teacher Education Student) "I thought it was particularly wonderful that the Watarase Special Needs School's efforts were put into practice through trial and error. I thought it was wonderful to make mascot products with rapeseed oil and organic cotton, because we could grow the seeds we sowed and then process them to make a useful contribution to people." (School Teachers) "Thank you very much for teaching me about your excellent practices, and also for sharing your UNESCO School application and the challenges of practice. It was a debriefing session with a lot of learning, so I would like more people to participate. From the next time onwards, I will also inform the management and faculty members. I will challenge my students to take what I have learned today from my own standpoint." (School Teachers) "I was impressed by the efforts that each of them made use of the characteristics of each region, and it was very meaningful for me to see Professor Tanno's talk that opened my eyes to the global standard of UNESCO Schools. Thank you." (School Teachers)
Watarase Special Needs School
Masashi Yoshida, Principal of Omuta Special Needs School
Tetsuya Tanno, Head Principal of Tama Sakuranooka Gakuen
12. On Friday, June 21, 2024, at 4:40 p.m., Professor Shizuo Nakazawa, a Director of ESD and SDGs Promotion at Nara University of Education, an advanced UNESCO school, will be invited to the UNESCO School Challenge School "SDGs Promotion and the Role of Teachers" in Room B103, Building Faculty of Education, Soka University.
Online participation via Zoom is also available, so if you would like to participate, please apply via the URL below.
Support project for UNESCO Schools and other schools with a vision of promoting SDGs and the role of teachers
The 1st Kanto Region Conference of UNESCO Associated Schools: "Comprehensive collaboration between UNESCO Associated Schools and local communities to achieve the SDGs"
Date: Sunday, October 5, 2 Reiwa 019 10:00~17:00 【Place】Tamagawa University Education Building ★ Breakout Session (Soka University) 13:30~15:30 Room 502, University Education Building Theme: Peace and Human Rights Education Purpose: "Since war is born in the hearts of men, we must build a fortress of peace in the hearts of men." The purpose of this subcommittee is to provide an opportunity to specifically approach this question from examples of bullying prevention initiatives. Summary: Bullying is often compared to a small war, but the key to preventing bullying is the silent bystander. The development and cultivation of intrinsic power to transform bystanders into "acting mediators" has become an educational issue. In this subcommittee, we will focus on the "bullying prevention teaching materials" that incorporate theatrical methods that Lecturer is developing with the intention of transforming bystanders. Participants will experience activities using some of the teaching materials and think about their possibilities and applicability. We would like to exchange the thoughts of each participant and explore ways to apply the spirit of the UNESCO Charter to daily educational practice.
The 2nd UNESCO Associated Schools Kanto Region Conference "Spreading the SDGs"
[Date and time] Saturday, August 7, 2021 (Reiwa 3) 10:00-17:00 [Location] Seikei University (online connecting all venues) ★Subcommittee (Soka University) 10:00-12:00 SDGs Social Business Project by High School Students A case study of the international high school-university collaboration program SAGE (Soka University)
The 3rd Kanto Block UNESCO Associated Schools Conference "Peace, Human Rights and Global Citizenship Education (GCED)"
Date: Sunday, July 31, 2022 (Reiwa 4) 10:00~15:30 Place: Soka University ★ Keynote Support (Video Message) Mr. Shigeru Aoyagi, Director of UNESCO Bangkok 10:15~10:45 ★ Report on Practical Schools (Nishida Elementary School) 10:45~11:30 ★ Poster Session (Faculty of Education Building Annex (BA Building) 1st Floor Lobby) 11:30~13:00 ★ Breakout Session 13:00~15:30
Lectures to support UNESCO Schools and other schools
The Current State and Challenges of UNESCO Associated Schools: Towards Cultivating a Global Citizen Identity
In commemoration of Human Rights Day on December 10, we will hold a lecture "The Current Situation and Challenges of UNESCO Schools ~Toward the Development of Global Citizen Identity~" on Friday, December 13 at 4:40 p.m. in Room B103 on the 1st floor of the Faculty of Education Building of Soka University.
This lecture will reaffirm the significance of UNESCO Schools' efforts to incorporate the spirit of UNESCO with the promotion of human rights, peace and sustainable development into concrete educational activities, and will be an opportunity to learn about the efforts of UNESCO Schools Challenge Schools together with interested faculty, staff, students, and teachers in the field. The keynote speaker, Professor Ryo Kobayashi of Tamagawa University Faculty of Education Department of Education, expressed his aspiration to "explore the possibilities and challenges of UNESCO Schools in shaping a global citizenship identity that transcends the 'conflict of justice' at a time when international conflicts are becoming more acute in many parts of the world."
〇Date and time: Friday, December 13, 2024, starting at 16:40
〇Venue: Soka University Faculty of Education Building 1st Floor, Room B103 (online viewing via zoom is also possible)
Participation fee: Free
How to apply: Please fill in the required information in the Google form at the following URL and apply.
The Soka University UNESCO Club planned a subcommittee and spoke as a symposium speaker at the 5th UNESCO Schools Kanto Block Conference.
The 5th UNESCO Associated Schools Kanto Block Conference was held at Tamagawa University on Saturday, October 5, 2024, and members of our university's UNESCO Club participated. The conference was a multifaceted discussion of the new roles and challenges required of teachers in the area of youth empowerment, which is key to the new development of UNESCO Associated Schools.
In the morning session, a keynote speech and symposium were given by Professor Mihara of Doshisha University on the role of teachers who can effectively support and empower young people, who will be the leaders of the next generation of sustainable society. The symposium was attended by Ms. Anri Morishima (Faculty of Education 3rd year), a representative of the UNESCO Club (student organization), and Ken Lecturer taro Shimada, an advisor from Soka University.
In the afternoon, a variety of related themes were discussed in the subcommittees of ASPUnivNet member universities in the Kanto region and the Next Generation UNESCO National Committee. The Soka University UNESCO Club subcommittee conducted experiential activities under the theme of "BafaBafa: Intercultural Simulation, Experiential Learning of Diverse Perspectives," with the aim of acquiring the perspectives of others and learning about one's own behavioral patterns.
The members of the subcommittee were Kodai Yamamoto (Faculty of Education 4 years), Tomoka Yamoto (Faculty of Education 4 years), Anri Morishima (Faculty of Education 3 years), Ikutenka (Faculty of Education 2 years), and Kazuaki Kunimatsu (Faculty of Law 1 year). While talking about the support for international students and the future of foreign workers at our university, the discussion deepened on the significance of Japan culture and cultural exchange.
The following comments and impressions were received from the participants of the workshop:
"I was able to experience firsthand how values and communication methods differ depending on the society. It's fun to learn about new cultures."
"I realized it's important to approach people with the desire to get along with them. However, I found it very difficult to understand a completely different culture."
Here are some comments from students who participated in the UNESCO Club.
"The intercultural simulation BafaBafa, which was held in the subcommittee, allowed high school students to think about the nature of intercultural exchange in a simulated setting. I also participated as a facilitator, and it was a good opportunity to think deeply about the practice of international understanding education in schools and the issues it poses." (Female student)
"This was my first time participating in the Kanto Block UNESCO Associated Schools Conference, and I was nervous, but I think all the preparation and meetings up to that point paid off. I hope that the participants were able to get a sense of the difficulty of intercultural understanding and take something that will be useful in their lives after the conference." (Male student)
"In the breakout session, I served as a facilitator for the intercultural simulation BafaBafa. I was very happy to be able to hear the participants' voices about their efforts up close, which helped me learn a lot. I also heard about the other breakout sessions at the end, which I felt helped me grow in the future." (Female student)
"I appeared as a panelist at the symposium in the morning and discussed youth empowerment with professors from other universities and elementary, junior high, and high school teachers, learning about the role of teachers and what they should aim for. In the second subcommittee, the participating students and teachers said they felt the difficulty of understanding different cultures and the importance of trying to learn about cultures, and that they would like to put this into practice in their own schools and classes. I'm glad to see that it was a fulfilling experience for everyone who participated." (Female Student)
"I'm grateful that so many people participated in the workshop. Participants ranged from high school students to current teachers, and there were also different cultures. I think it is very difficult to accept a different culture when you feel the difficulty of coming into contact with it and getting used to it in your daily life. As the number of international students gradually increases, I would like to constantly think about how teachers and students can accept different cultures, and how to deal with them when cultural differences are not acceptable." (Male student)
