Update:August 26, 2008

Global Environmental Workshop for Students FY 2008 held

In order to discuss global environment conservation from an international perspective, a "Global Environmental Workshop for Kids" was held for nine days from August 12 to 20 with the participation of eight junior and senior high school students and two escorting staff from Tianjin City in China and eight junior and senior high school students and two escorting staff from Long Beach City in the U.S., and eight junior high school students from Yokkaichi City.
The workshop consisted of a study tour at Yokkaichi Port and a lecture on the environment. In addition, classes on making round paper fans and how to use a wrapping cloth were offered with the intention of exposing students to Japanese culture (in cooperation with Yokkaichi Consumers Association and Kitakawarada Women Association). The classes are part of efforts for environmental conservation, trying to persuade people to use round paper fans rather than electric fans and air conditioners, and wrapping clothes instead of plastic shopping bags.
The students from Tianjin City and Long Beach City also experienced homestays. The students returned to the ICETT impressed with the kindness of the host families.
On August 16, a "Children’s Earth Environmental Summit" was held at the Yokkaichi Chamber of Commerce and the students from the three participating cities expressed the intention "to take this earth environmental summit as an opportunity to state our determination to act to protect our beautiful earth with its rich greenery, by holding hands in a circle."
The participants expressed the following views:
"With my participation, my family started taking the environment into consideration. I understand that I can change people by taking action myself."
"I thought it is important to take action myself by focusing on small things such as saving a little electricity or one drop of water."
"I was inspired by each country's environmental conservation efforts."
"I want to visit Japan again."