On June 15, the entrance ceremony for the Noto Satoyama-Satoumi SDGs Meister Program 2024 was held at Noto Gakusha.
The Noto Satoyama-Satoumi SDGs Meister Program (hereinafter referred to as "Meister Program"), based at Noto Gakusha and with the cooperation of local governments in the prefecture, including Suzu City, aims to develop leaders who will work to solve local issues by making the most of the resources of Noto's satoyama and satoumi, which are recognized as a World Agricultural Heritage site. To date, the program has produced 241 graduates (Meisters). This year, 24 new students will be enrolled in the program, which will also work toward reconstruction through art in collaboration with the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and Tokyo University of the Arts under the theme of "Community and Art”.
At the ceremony, President Takashi Wada gave the ceremonial address, followed by an address by Mr. Masuhiro Izumiya, Mayor of Suzu City, on behalf of the partner local governments. Then, Yukiteru Tabata Trustee of NPO Noto Satoyama Satoumi Meister Network, who is also a Kanazawa University graduate of the course, gave a congratulatory speech on behalf of the guests. Noriko Yoroizuka, a graduate of Kanazawa University, a representative of the students, expressed her determination: "As a company and as an individual, I would like to learn about the history, origins, and climate of the Noto Peninsula region and make connections with local people and people who share the same aspirations as myself, to see if I can contribute in any way to the recovery of the Noto Peninsula region".
After the ceremony, the students attended lectures by Mayor Izumiya, Trustee Tashiro Katsuhiro of Kono Shinkin Bank, and President Wada. In the afternoon, Tokyo University of the Arts President and artist Hibino Katsuhiko was welcomed to participate in the "Asatte Asagao Project*" as part of the field work of the Meister Program. After listening to an explanation of the project's aims from Mr.Hibino, the students worked with local residents to string ropes along the walls of the Noto Campus and plant morning glory seedlings that have been grown and passed down from all over Japan. Starting with growing morning glories, the students will spend the next year learning about Noto and working towards its reconstruction.
* Asatte Asagao (The Day After Tomorrow Morning Glory) Project is an art project by Mr. Hibino that connects people to people, people to community, and community to community through the cultivation of morning glories.
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President Wada delivers the ceremonial address. -
Students in 2024 -
Planting morning glory seedlings with local residents -
Group photo with Noto pose
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