As part of the "Children Conference of the Future in Support of the United Nations in HAMAMATSU," the final presentations of the Hamamatsu Elementary School SDGs Idea Contest were held. Fourteen pupils in 10 groups who passed document screening presented ideas about the future of the city they live in.
The top prize went to "Let us Know Our Hometown, Let us Protect Our Hometown," a plan to make a picture book collecting the good things about the local area and read it aloud at school.
The conference is a place where children of Generation Alpha think about the future of their communities from an SDGs perspective; it grew out of a forum launched in 2019. On the day, journalist Jun Hori led an SDGs curriculum session that encouraged the children to see world and local issues as their own and to find what they can do.
Key points
- Elementary pupils think about the future of their town through the SDGs and present their ideas
- The top prize went to an idea of turning local charms into a picture book to read at school
- A curriculum built on experience and dialogue helped children find what they can do themselves
Why this news deserves attention
The SDGs can seem huge, yet these children start from something close to home: knowing and protecting their hometown. It shows how local efforts connect to global issues.
The ability to treat world problems as one own is also a foundation for international cooperation.
Staff comments
Minato AobaResearch
“I love that elementary pupils thought about their town future through the SDGs and presented in the city hall chamber. The top prize, a picture book of local charms to read aloud, felt close to home and caught my interest.”
Sophie HiroseWriting and translation
“I agree with Aoba-san about the idea of turning local charms into a picture book. Starting by knowing what you want to protect seems like a first step toward treating the world problems as your own.”
Mako JozenjiProofreading and verification
“Hearing you both, I felt again how flexible the children perspective is. I look forward to seeing how caring for the town they know might one day grow into caring for people around the world.”
Editor-in-Chief’s comment
Ren DateEditor-in-Chief
“The flexible thinking of the children left me feeling bright and hopeful.
Why not take a fresh look at the good things in your own town?”