OUIK Biocultural series booklet #2 [Mount Hakusan Biosphere Reserve -Creating a new path for communities and nature-] is now available from our publication archive. (view PDF) This booklet has been produced by collaboration with 7 local municipals of Hakusan UNESCO Biosphere Reserve as well as UNESCO MAB networking team to celebrate the acceptance of revision plan with newly set transition zone.

We are looking forward to see how learning opportunity will be developed by communities with this booklet .

The Hakusan UNESCO Biosphere Reserve was registered in 1980 as the first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Japan, along with three other parks. In March 2016, it received approval for an extension of its transitional area.

OUIK, based in Ishikawa Prefecture, has been collaborating with the Hakusan UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Council since 2014. To discuss the management and operations following the extension registration, we invited Noëline Raondry Rakotoarisoa, the Chief of the MAB Networking Section at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.

Duration: May 6 (Friday) to May 10 (Tuesday), 2016 (May 11-12 at the United Nations University headquarters in Tokyo)

Location: Within the Hakusan UNESCO Biosphere Reserve area

From May 7 (Saturday) to May 10 (Tuesday), Ms. Rakotoarisoa visited all municipalities in the four prefectures and seven cities and villages that make up the Hakusan UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, including Nanto City in Toyama, Shirakawa Village and Takayama City in Gifu, Gujo City, Ono City, and Katsuyama City in Fukui, and Hakusan City in Ishikawa. She deepened her understanding of the region’s nature, culture, and history through direct dialogues with local stakeholders.

On May 10 (Tuesday), we co-hosted the “Symposium Commemorating the Extension Registration of Hakusan UNESCO Biosphere Reserve,” during which Ms. Rakotoarisoa and the mayors of the constituent cities and villages exchanged opinions on how to advance UNESCO Biosphere Reserve activities (ecosystem conservation and sustainable regional development) in the Hakusan region.

(Reported by Yoshihiko Iida)

The Japanese National Commission for UNESCO has been inviting about five fellows of the National Commission for UNESCO in the Asia-Pacific region every year since 1965. The purpose of this program is to further understanding of Japanese UNESCO activities through visits to organizations conducting UNESCO activities, and also to educational, scientific and cultural facilities. This year, five fellows came from Germany, Malaysia, China, Korea and Thailand to study Japan’s advanced initiatives.

The fellows learned about activities related to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network at the Kanazawa City government offices, and also visited Hakusan UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BR) site, and OUIK.

We mentioned that there are many internationally certified regions and heritage sites other than the above in Ishikawa Prefecture. The synergistic effect created by this abundance of sites will help us to link Kanazawa and its peripheral areas with the keyword “biocultural diversity” and become a comprehensive platform for the preservation of local biocultural resources.