Record of Our Activities

From March 26th to 27th, forty newly-elected students visited United Nations University and other cooperative institutions in Tokyo to prepare for the next SG course research project.

The purpose of this visit was to get some advice on what kind of theme is suited for the research and which problems to study by taking some lectures about global problems.

On the first day, at United Nations University, the students had lectures from the United Nations Information Center (UNIC) and from UN University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) on the activities of the United Nations, which aimed at Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and made a tour of the United Nations University.  On the second day, during the training course separated with each group, they visited the Earth Park of JICA, Plan International, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  They took some lectures, made a tour and interacted with the students there.

Based on what they learned from this training, they will then prepare for research.

【Comments from the participants】
＊I felt that in the world today, we must think about the future and set our goals to create a sustainable environment.

＊What impressed me the most was the words, “Thanks to the SDGs, we are able to see the problems and issue easily”.  Now that we know and are able to see each country’s progress in achieving the SDGs, it became easy for each country to set their goals.  This will eventually be a large factor in solving the global issues.
 
＊The lecture taught us that our outlook was narrow and broad.  When there is a problem in another country, we must not think of it as a problem in another country, but think of it as a problem in our world.
 
＊I was surprised that children also mine rare metals for cell phones with their bare hands.  Although I know there are some reasons for cheap clothes, I think it is difficult to change lives quickly.  I want to find out what I can do. The common ideas of UNDP and Plan International and JICA are that we should not give temporary help, but give them something that will last for a long time.  I want to consider ideas that have long insight in mind.