By E, Hairich-Sanchez

Last week I featured the “Our Blue Planet” the play with music based on the Earth Charter performed at OIST to bring attention to the end of the United Nations Decade on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

On Sunday, June 29th, and Monday, June 30th, the Ministry of Environment will host the “Expert Conference on Development of Island’s Sustainable Societies” at OIST.  Admission is free and simultaneous English / Japanese interpretation will be provided.

Full program is at http://www.env.go.jp/nature/biodic/ecdisso2014/en/index.html#register

Pre-registration is required at http://www.env.go.jp/nature/biodic/ecdisso2014/en/index.html#register

I would like to call on ALL teachers in Okinawa including administrators and visionaries to attend the SIDE EVENT scheduled on Monday afternoon in Seminar Room B250 titled “Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) activities for preservation and wise use of local resources” The following information is from the Ministry of Environment website. The presentations will be led by

Junko Oshima (Associate Professor, Dep./Grad. School of Tourism Sciences, University of the Ryukyus / Director, The Japan Council on the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD-J) – Japan)

Loraiti Binti Lolin (Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sabah Forestry Department – Malaysia)

Island regions all face common issues such as the conservation of natural environments, mitigation of climate changes, disaster prevention, securing energy sources and waste treatment. At a closer look, these issues are all interconnected and need to be addressed through initiatives unique to islands.

To realize and achieve the goals of these initiatives, each and every one of us must become aware of their importance and take action. The aim of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is to raise people’s awareness of these issues, and it is an integral part of the initiatives to realize a low-carbon, recycling, sustainable society that exists in harmony with nature.

It is against this backdrop that the “International Conference on Climate Change and Coral Reef Conservation” was held on Okinawa in June last year, to share information on environmental problems faced by island countries and potential measures to address them. The chair also presented a summary, emphasizing the need to greatly boost cooperation between island countries, with Okinawa spearheading the efforts.

Building upon last year’s conference, this year, experts will gather to discuss these common issues and specific initiatives pertaining to island countries with the aim of contributing to the further advancement of research and proposing to the world a sustainable development model unique to islands, which utilizes their abundant renewable energy and remarkably rich ecosystems.

Next week, we will have an update on the “Obunsha Friend or Foe” with a report on last Monday’s Court case “Nagamatsu vs. AMICUS” where Office Director (now on permanent sick leave) Keiko Kamei testified.  The key words in her testimony were: Wakaranae (I don’t know) and “I was ordered by Mr. Matsuda (previous Executive Managing Director who was run out of the school by angry parents).” Other lawsuits are pending on this on-going drama. The Executive Board of Directors will be listed as named by Principal Arakawa in his testimony to the Okinawa Prefecture Assembly with promises for transparency.

Comments welcome to edo@okinawaocean.org

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