JICA Tsukuba; Towards sustainable city "Tsukuba"

Showing JICA's international cooperation activities to Tsukuba citizens

Reception of JICA Tsukuba

MEXT [the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology] holds annually the Science and Technology Week during a week including 18th April which is Invention Day. Here in Tsukuba City Ibaraki Prefecture, many events were held by some research institutes and facilities located in Tsukuba City in this certain week. JICA Tsukuba also joined this event from 17th April to 22nd April. On 21st April, we set the theme as setting "open day" "Let's connect with the world from Tsukuba" and held various event. Our purpose was to let the citizens understand more about JICA's projects through enjoying the event. For example, we prepared vegetable seedlings that JICA training participants raised and folk crafts as gifts for participants of quizzes regarding international cooperation. And also, high school students who participated in the JICA's International Cooperation Program last year presented the experience reports, which were lively and originality. As a result, we were able to offer good information about JICA's projects to various people from schoolchildren to senior citizens.

Citizens watching display

We also set up JICA's volunteer consulting booth and offered an opportunity to talk with the JICA's ex-volunteer staff. So, people who are interested in JICA's international cooperation visited the booth and listened to experiences or stories intently. Furthermore, we showed the documentary movie "Before the Flood" starring by Leonardo DiCaprio directed by Stephen Fisher once in the morning and afternoon, a total of 2 times. Some people who watched the movie gave us passionate comments such as "It was really wonderful than expected". More than 1000 people visited and looked having fun, including the visitors of World's picture book exhibition that were held simultaneously.

What's SDGs which is promoted by Tsukuba City

Displayed panels about SDGs

Tsukuba City is actively working on the promotion of "SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals]". It held Tsukuba SDGs Forum on 19th February 2018 and announced officially "Sustainable City Vision". At the city council regular meeting in March, "Resolution seeking efforts to reflect the ideals of SDGs in Tsukuba municipal government" was adopted. We found this video material "JICA's Actions Toward Achieving the SDGs" thorough an e-mail magazine sent by Planning Department which is responsible for SDGs. We expected that it would be a good opportunity for citizens to know about SDGs if we screened this video at our event booth, so we arranged it soon.

An animation about sustainable future

This video consists of several chapters that are completed in a short time. Each chapter can be played individually, so you can play it using short free time. We played it during the vacant time before and after movie without advanced notice. Many people who watched the movie seated five to ten minutes before the movie started, and some of them seemed to be able to watch one chapter from beginning to end. One of the women seated 20 minutes before the beginning of the movie and concentrated on watching the video. With a synergy between exhibits and videos, we were able to let the citizens know JICA's approach to SDGs in addition to the word SDGs and its outline of it.

"Before the Flood" is a documentary film chasing the crisis of climate change facing the earth from the perspective of Leonardo DiCaprio who was appointed United Nations Peace Ambassador. This movie has aspects to link with the theme of SDGs. I believe we could have been able to send a message by using these video that it's time for each and every one of us to consider seriously about the future of earth.

Screening of "Before the Flood"

The common world measure named SDGs and its fundamental principle that "No one will be left behind" are expected to serve as a clue to objectively analyze the current issues for not only Tsukuba but also all municipalities. JICA Tsukuba will make efforts to publicize SDGs in the future through development education and events for citizens. Although SDGs is generally not familiar yet, making good use of this video on citizen participatory events or workshops would be the key that promotes residents' consciousness to "Sustainable Town Planning".

Hiroaki Jitsukata
JICA Tsukuba Center

*The Material(s) mainly applied

"JICA's Actions Toward Achieving the SDGs"

Regarding Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs): like many actors already started their actions both within and outside Japan, JICA has been active in various areas through innovative approaches. This DVD contains JICA's actions and concrete practices toward achieving the SDGs, such as supporting formulating national SDGs plan in developing countires, partnership with private sector, volunteer activities in overseas and so on. The DVD also contains an animated cartoons that illustrate what is sustainable development. It will be welcome that JICA and people who are engaged in development assistance deepned their knowledge related to the SDGs. Furthermore, this material can be used for JICA's PR activivites in varitey of seminars, meetings and school teachings when the theme are related to the SDGs.

• YouTube (external link)