In establishing the Okayama University SDGs Promotion Headquarters, we have made university-wide efforts to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2017, we held the world’s first international conference on attainment of SDGs in Okayama City in cooperation with other organizations. We were also the only national/public university to be a recipient of the first Japan SDGs Awards organized by the national government. 

In association with awards for contribution to the SDGs, the Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Development*1 was held in Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany from March 21 to 23, 2018. This festival is an international conference held annually by the United Nations SDG Action Campaign*2 to introduce the efforts of organizations that have received SDGs-related awards.

At the conference, Vice Executive Director and Senior University Global Administrator (UGA) Atsufumi Yokoi gave a speech on the stage. He introduced our efforts to promote the SDGs and delivered a message stating that we will take a strong lead from the Okayama area, encouraging people throughout the world to implement the SDGs. After his speech at the conference, he said, “The formulation of the SDGs made us realize that the efforts towards sustainable development that the Okayama area and Okayama University had facilitated over a long period of time were worthy of attracting worldwide attention. It is important for us to deliver a strong message to the world from Okayama and Japan in the future.”

We will continue to make university-wide efforts to promote the SDGs. We will also strongly and steadily promote the SDGs in a manner unique to Okayama based on the Makino Vision of “Heading Further, To a Fruitful Academic Capital,” further strengthening cooperation with various stakeholders inside and outside the university and continuing the unique efforts that we and the people of Okayama have made thus far.

UN Web TV : Japan’s SDGs Award - SDG Studio, Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Development 2018