2022/4/1, Kanazawa
In Kanazawa City, a comprehensive vision known as the Kanazawa Future Scenario has been developed through the collection of ideas from many individuals aimed at promoting the SDGs. To put this vision into practice, the IMAGINE KANAZAWA 2030 Partners Exchange Meeting was held in January and February, where participants brought forward their challenges and initiatives in hopes of fostering new projects through dialogue.
This year marks the seventh meeting, and in total, it was the ninth gathering. Due to the impact of COVID-19, the meetings were held online, but we hope to return to in-person events once the trend of infection subsides, allowing ideas to flourish.
During Exchange Meeting #8 & #9, the following organizations delivered pitch presentations:
Exchange Meeting #8 Presenting Organizations (held on 2022/1/27)
- PADAYON, General Incorporated Association
Discussed projects aimed at simultaneously addressing issues in developing countries and local community challenges. - E.N.N. Co., Ltd.
Focused on countermeasures for vacant houses and vacant buildings. - Hokuriku ESD Promotion Consortium
Shared experiences from educational activities involving children in hospital classes.
Exchange Meeting #9 Presenting Organization (held on 2022/0226)
- Visst Co., Ltd.
Discussed employment support for those in need.
Additionally, the Exchange Meeting #9 reflected on activities from the past year and engaged in discussions on how to further develop the gatherings.
At this event, we had the opportunity to hear in-depth about the unique and pioneering initiatives from each organization, fostering connections that could lead to new partnerships and projects.
Each organization shared details about their activities and the challenges they are facing:
PADAYON, General Incorporated Association is a social startup engaged in addressing social issues in both Japan and the Philippines through impact investing, a method of social investment. The name “Padayon” means “Let’s do it together” in the local language of the Philippines, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the process of community and people building together.
Through connections with families from the Philippines, they encountered employment issues faced by the middle generation struggling to find work. As a result, they aimed to create an ecosystem of social investment that contributes to Kanazawa while providing a platform for Filipinos to utilize their skills. They have formed partnerships with companies in Kanazawa that want to contribute to the SDGs, expand overseas sales channels, and address labor shortages. They are running an impact investment project to provide rental spaces for small businesses in the Philippines and offer job opportunities and learning experiences for locals. This is just one example, as the actual matching process between companies in Kanazawa and those in the Philippines is handled on an individual consultation basis. They also conduct donation projects to directly support food supplies to the Philippines.
E.N.N. Co., Ltd. operates as a social design company that centers on architecture and aims to help find, plan, create, and effectively utilize spaces to build “towns and cities.” With the increasing number of vacant houses and buildings in Kanazawa, they sought to bring awareness to these social issues and presented their initiative.
Compared to Western countries, Japan has a significantly advantageous new housing market, with around one million new homes built each year. However, with the population remaining stagnant, the number of vacant houses and buildings continues to increase. In Kanazawa City, efforts are underway to preserve and utilize wooden buildings such as Kanazawa Townhouses, which were built before 1950. Unfortunately, these buildings are slowly being demolished, leading to an increase in vacancies and the deterioration of the townscape, along with concerns about carbon dioxide emissions from building dismantlement. To address these problems, E.N.N. Co., Ltd. offers investigative services through their “Old Building Research Room” and “Wooden Building Research Room” to assess nearby used buildings and wooden structures.
At the conclusion of Exchange Meeting #8, Hokuriku ESD Promotion Consortium was introduced. Established in 2014 with Kanazawa University as the secretariat, this consortium aims to promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to achieve the SDGs. They shared information about the outdoor educational activities for children in hospital classes at Kanazawa University Hospital.
Many of the children in hospital classes require long-term hospitalization and, because of infection control, many cannot go outside. As a result, they find it challenging to learn through outdoor activities like nature observation. However, due to advancements in filming and communication equipment, it has become possible to enjoy stargazing remotely. Therefore, in 2021, the Hokuriku ESD Promotion Consortium collaborated with the Kanazawa City Kigo Mountain Fureai Training Center and the Kanaboshi-kai (astronomy club) to conduct multiple online stargazing sessions that children could enjoy from inside the hospital. Going forward, they would like to expand these activities beyond stargazing to include museum visits, social observations, and more, tailored to the children’s needs.
In Exchange Meeting #9, Visst Co., Ltd. spoke about their management philosophy of providing hope for work to everyone, particularly focusing on employment support for individuals with disabilities or others who may face challenges in the job market. During the pitch presentation, they shared their initiatives and challenges related to employment support for those in need. Visst Co., Ltd. has been facilitating the “Employment Preparation Support Project for Welfare Recipients and Individuals in Need” commissioned by Kanazawa City, encouraging participation in everyday, social, and work contexts for “welfare recipients” and “individuals in need.” In Kanazawa City, there are about 4,000 welfare recipients and nearly ten times that number of individuals in need, a situation exacerbated by the impacts of COVID-19.
As part of their support, Visst Co., Ltd. helps improve interpersonal skills and self-esteem through work experiences and volunteer opportunities, aimed at ensuring individuals can live independently in society. However, securing organizations willing to cooperate as host sites can sometimes be challenging. During volunteer activities, staff from Visst Co., Ltd. accompany participants to ensure smooth operations and are actively seeking organizations to collaborate with.
Both Exchange Meetings #8 and #9 showcased diverse challenges from various organizations. It was a valuable opportunity to learn about the situation in Kanazawa City, and the discussions sparked new ideas and exchanges. I hope that the IMAGINE KANAZAWA 2030 Partners Exchange Meeting continues to expand partnerships and gives rise to new projects.
