2024.01.12

A Brainstorming Session with Members of the Youth Committee of Japanese National Commission for UNESCO and Student SDGs Promoters

The Japanese National Commission for UNESCO has established the “Youth Committee of Japanese National Commission for UNESCO” to reflect the voices of young people who will shape the future in UNESCO activities within Japan. Mr. Alejandro Isidro Martinez Sanchez, a second-year graduate student in the Department of Science of Technology Innovation, and Mr. Kaoru IGARASHI, a fourth-year bachelor student in the Department of Bioengineering (both are Student SDGs Promoters of Nagaoka University of Technology) were elected as youth members of the Youth Committee of Japanese National Commission for UNESCO in 2023. The youth members are divided into working groups based on the three pillars of education, culture, and science, and are engaged in a series of discussions on UNESCO’s future policies and roles in the fields of education, science, and culture, with the SDGs and global issues in mind.

Mr. Sanchez and Mr. Igarashi, who are part of the science group, and Student SDGs Promoters, held two days of online brainstorming sessions on December 11 (Monday) and December 13 (Wednesday). Mr. Kenta SAYAMA, leader of the science group and a doctoral student at University of Oxford, joined the meeting to discuss approaches from a science and technology perspective to achieve a more livable society in Japan.

Together with the Student SDGs Promoters, we plan to further promote UNESCO’s activities through support for the Itoigawa UNESCO Global Geopark, which is a key focus of the science group.