United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability
Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa (OUIK)OUIK Newsletter

January 2017

Celebrating Achievements in 2016

Tsunao Watanabe
Director, United Nations University
Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS)
Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa (OUIK)Warmest greetings at the start of a new year! For OUIK, 2016 was a year of partnership and of great progress. Since 2015, OUIK has incorporated the concept of biocultural diversity to our activities, which takes a holistic view of the reciprocal effects
between human activity and nature. Through this concept we have pondered thesustainability of satoyama and satoumi landscapes 1 in the Noto Peninsula and Mt.
Hakusan area, as well as linkages between nature and urban culture in Kanazawa.
Kanazawa Biodiversity Strategy, formulated by Kanazawa City in fiscal 2015, reflects
this work in that it aims to sustainably utilize the city's cultural and natural resources in an integrated manner. For example, it lays out plans for key projects suchas "Citizen-based nature watchers" to promote civic involvement in ecosystemmanagement and eco-tours for studying nature and culture linkage. OUIK partnered with the city in organizing a session on biocultural regions at the academic conference of the UCCN 2 Annual Meeting, held in
Sweden in September. There we joined our research partners in presenting our activities in Kanazawa to
the international community.
Mount Hakusan Biosphere Reserve (BR) received official approval to add transition areas at the ICC 3 of the
MAB 4 Programme in March 2016, drawing attention to its various initiatives in sustainable community development. In May we invited a representative from UNESCO's MAB Networking Section to symposiums:
one in Hakusan City celebrating the extension and the other at UNU Centre in Tokyo commemorating our
publication of a new booklet on the BR. We also worked to build multi-stakeholder platforms for advancing
discussion on sustainable community development; for example, using a UNESCO activities grant, in July/Ocotober, we invited MAB representatives/BR practioners from Asian countiries to UNU Centre/Mount
Hakusan BR.
Five years after the designation of Noto's Satoyama and Satoumi as a GIAHS 5 site in 2011, OUIK took partin revising the action plan. In May we held a 5th Anniversary Symposium to spread the word to local community members about the new action plan. The fourth and fifth sessions in the series of Satoumi Lectures,
which began in 2015 in partnership with Noto's nine municipalities, were taken place in 2016. Throughtalks by local community leaders and outside experts, we could deepen the conversation on sustainable
management of satoumi resources. The outcomes of these events were compiled as a booklet of Noto
Satoumi Movement in October.

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Also referered as socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes(SEPLS)UNESCO Creative Cities Network
3
International Coordinating Council
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Man and the Biosphere
5
Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems―1―

Such collaborations with diverse stakeholders bore rich fruit in the form of the 1st Asian Conference on
Biocultural Diversity (BCD) in October organized by UNESCO, SCBD, 6 Ishikawa Prefecture, Nanao City, andUNU. The conference gathered some 500 people from 40 countries and was allowed us to reaffirm the important connection between Asia's rich biodiversity and cultures. The outcomes were summarized in the
Ishikawa Declaration, a commitment to preserving these resources for the next generation. I would like toreiterate my heartfelt gratitude to everyone in the community who helped make this event possible.
We promulgated the Ishikawa Declaration at COP13 7 held in December in Cancun, Mexico. At the convention, we also presented educational exchange initiatives in Ishikawa that draw on our GIAHS and BR designations, calling on the international community to step up collaborative study with communities who havebeen working to protect biocultural diversity for sustainable use.
In 2017, OUIK will continue to support local efforts to implement the principles articulated in the Ishikawa
Declaration by linking them with international and UN agendas.

2016 Highlights●1st Asian Conference on Biocultural Diversity
Nanao City, October 27-29, 2016
Following the first European conference on BCD held in Italy in
2014, OUIK, in collaboration with Ishikawa Pref.,arranged the
1st Asian Conference on BCD with UNESCO and SCBD, which
are advancing the Joint Programme on the Links between Biological and Cultural Diversity.
The international conference welcomed for a diverse exchange
among 500 attendees, including practitioners and experts; highschool and undergraduate students; and others from 40 countries. On the first day, participants shared practices and local
policies on biocultural diversity, not just in Asia but across theworld, through three thematic meetings, a poster session, andan experts meeting. The second day included reports from theyouth session and on practical efforts in Ishikawa, as well as
discussions on the importance of biocultural diversity andstrategies for future action from various perspectives.
The outcomes of these discussion were summarized in the2016 Ishikawa Declaration on Biocultural Diversity, which wasHigh school students reporting on the outcomes of theirworkshops at the conference
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Thematic meeting 2 of the conference

Youth session (students from high schools in Ishikawa/in Thai and a Russian university)

Holding up the signed Ishikawa Declaration

Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversityth
The 13 meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity―2―

adopted amidst applause from the attendees upon signing by the CBD Executive Secretary Braulio Ferreirade Souza Dias, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences Flavia Schlegel, Ishikawa Governor
Masanori Tanimoto, Nanao Mayor Toyokazu Fushima, UNU-IAS Senior Visiting Professor Kazuhiko Takeuchi,
and OUIK Director Tsunao Watanabe.

●2016 Ishikawa Declaration on Biocultural Diversity
OUIK published a pamphlet to promote the 2016 Ishikawa Declaration on Biocultural Diversity.
The declaration comprises thirteen statements and an annex. The statements
affirm the value of biocultural diversity while stressing the important role oflocal communities and international partnerships. The annex lists 29 action
policies spanning the fields of Education, Capacity Development, andKnowledge Sharing; Traditional Knowledge; Belief Systems and Cultural Values;
Economy and Local Livelihoods; Governance and Institutions; Partnerships andNetworks; and Land Use/Management.

● COP 13 to the Convention on Biological Diversity
Cancun, Mexico, December 4-17, 2016
UNU promoted the Ishikawa Declaration as an outcome of the 1st Asian Conference of BCD at COP 13, heldin Mexico. First, UNU-IAS Senior Visiting Professor Kazuhiko Takeuchi, when attending Working Group 1
meeting held on December 5 as Special Representative of UNU Rector, made a statement on the 1st Asian
Conference of BCD and its outcomes to an audience. He stated that Ishikawa serves as an important platform to creat synergies between international designation systems such as GIAHS and BRs, and that such
movements to utilize local resources linked to biocultural diversity can contribute to both local revitalization and the actions toward Aichi Targets. The full text of his speech is available on the SCBD website(https://www.cbd.int/cop/cop-13/hls/statements/statement-united-nations-university-final-en.pdf).
Additionally, at the high level session of the forum titled "Summit Muchtanbal on Indigenous Experience: Traditional
Knowledge and Biological and Cultural Diversity," held from October 9 through 11, OUIK Director Watanabe presented the
Ishikawa Declaration. He stressed especially how important it is
to develop capacities for sustainable use of biocultural diversity,
to efficiently implement international designation systems, andto maintain platforms that spark dialogues and partnerships formainstreaming biocultural diversity into sustainable development. He also reported that OUIK and Ishikawa are working together on efficient operation of the GIAHS and BR towardachieving the Aichi Targets by 2020.

OUIK Director Watanabe presenting the Ishikawa
Declaration at the Muchtanbal Summit

In a case study session, OUIK Office Manager Mikiko Nagai delivered a report titled "Learning platform andeducational tourism: Promoting and Strengthening links between Biological and Cultural Diversity" . The
presentation summarized a GIAHS international cooperation program held by Ishikawa Pref., as well as a
training program for BR practitioners from the Asian region held inside Mount Hakusan BR in fiscal 2016.
She also presented the Satoyama Tea Ceremony, an environmental learning event for children held by local community. It was proposed that such grassroots initiatives be combined with international educational
exchange opportunities, and that, for Ishikawa to become a "living classroom on biocultural diversity",OUIK serve as a node by helping to create mechanisms that provide shared learning opportunities between
Ishikawa and Asia.

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In the same forum, a representative of the SCBD announced
that, following the 1st Asian Conference, North American conference on BCD in 2018 is being considered by the American
Museum of Natural History and its collaborators. Lastly, at theclosing reception, OUIK joined Ishikawa Pref. staff in handing
an Ishikawa Declaration pamphlet to CBD Executive Secretary
Braulio F. de Souza Dias and thanking him for participating in
the international conference. Dr. Dias said that he was deeply
impressed that ecologically harmonious traditional culturesare still strong in Ishikawa.

At the COP13 venue: Dr.Dias holding the Ishikawa
Declaration (third from the right)

Collaborations with Local and International Communities●GIAHS Noto's Satoyama and Satoumi 5th Anniversary Symposium
Nanao City, May 23, 2016
Five years after the GIAHS designation, OUIK and joined participants reflected on past achievements and discussed thesite’s future based on a newly revised action plan.
Following guest remarks from Ishikawa Deputy Governor Hiroyasu Takenaka and MAFF Hokuriku Regional Agricultural
Administration Office Vice Director Takuji Kashiwabara,
Kazuhiko Takeuchi, then Senior Vice-Rector of UNU, delivereda keynote speech in which he spoke on events leading up to
the 2011 designation and on the future outlook of GIAHSbased community development.

Panel discussion at the anniversary symposium

The new action plan lists sustainable livelihoods in primary industry; the transmission of traditional technical cultures; and conservation of biodiversity and cultural landscapes as three key objectives, the realization of which will require involvement from numerous practitioners. In the panel discussion, panelists representing an array of fields including agriculture, tourism, and city planning discussed strategies for making
further progress in sustainable community development.

●Noto's Satoumi Lecture Series (4th and 5th Sessions)OUIK jointly held with Hakui City and Noto Town the fourthand fifth sessions, respectively, of the Noto's Satoumi Lecture
Series begun in fiscal 2015.
■ 4th Session: Hakui City's Blue Tourism: Experiential Tourism
for Learning about Satoumi Conservation and Livelihoods (July9, Hakui City)
This lecture used eco-tourism in Japan's Seto Inland Sea as acase study for contemplating the future of Hakui City's uniqueexperiential tourism through Chirihama Beach conservation
and use of natural resources such as wild oysters.
■ 5th Session: The Role of Local Rivers Linking Satoyama andSatoumi (Sept. 17, Noto Town)―4―

Panel discussion at the fourth session in Hakui city

Shedding light on the role of rivers that link satoyama with satoumi, this lecture introduced the Machino
River's biodiversity and examples of its use, including hinezushi, a fermented sushi dish prepared from river-caught sweetfish and enjoyed at autumn festivals. It reaffirmed the rivers roles played in local environments and their links to local lifestyles and livelihoods that have valued their services.

●Academic Conference at the UCCN 10th Annual MeetingÖstersund, Sweden, September 12, 2016
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) annual meeting washeld in Östersund, Sweden, in September. When the 2015 annual
meeting was held in Kanazawa, OUIK organized an academic
symposium in conjunction with the main event. Keeping with thesame form, this time Mid Sweden University organized an academic conference on sustainable development and Creative Cities. OUIK hosted a session at the conference titled, “IshikawaKanazawa Biocultural Region: Local platform by different sectors
and academic network fostering creativity,” in which OUIK andresearch partners jointly presented the findings of their academic
activities in Kanazawa.

(From left) Dr Iida (OUIK), Prof. Shikida (JAIST), Prof. Sasaki (Doshisha Univ.), Officer from Mid Sweden Univ., Ms
Nagai (OUIK), Prof. Uchida (Saitama Univ.)● Collaborations with Mount Hakusan BR
When registered as a BR in 1980, the Mt. Hakusan area was partitioned into core areas to protect ecosystems and buffer zones
to support academic research and educational activities. Mount
Hakusan BR Council, formed in 2014 at the initiative of the local
communities, applied in 2015 for extension of these zones andthe addition of transition area for carrying out sustainable socioeconomic activities. The extension was approved in March 2016at the 28th Session of the ICC of the MAB Programme. This
raised expectations of multi-stakeholder involvement in sustainable development of the region. OUIK has supported the coun- UNESCO officials and Japanese representatives after
the extension approval (photo: Mount Hakusan BR
cil's activities through international networking and other efforts. Council)
As part of this work, OUIK published in collaboration with local
stakeholders "Mount Hakusan Biosphere Reserve: Creating a new path for communities and nature." Thebooklet offers a comprehensive understanding of Mount Hakusan BR and activities related to biocultural
diversity, and is intended for use as an educational material, suitable even in international exchange settings.
In conjunction with the booklet's publication, OUIK held an international symposium at UNU Centre on
May 11 titled, "Learning for Biocultural Diversity: UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserves". Noëline Raondry Rakotoarisoa, MAB Networking Section Chief in UNESCO's Division of
Ecological and Earth Sciences, was invited to join a discussion on
the future of collaboration between local and global networks
for conserving and passing on biocultural diversity. Prior to theevent, Dr. Rakotoarisoa was invited for a tour of various conservation and resource use projects in Mount Hakusan BR, as wellas an extension commemorative symposium jointly held with
Hakusan City on May 10 and attended by the mayors of theseven municipalities composing the BR.
Dr. Rakotoarisoa presenting the BR programme at UNU Centre―5―

OUIK also attended the 4th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves, where it presented on the synergies between GIAHS
and BRs, citing Ishikawa as a case study, and on the potential
for collaborative study of mountain regions with serving
Mount Hakusan BR as a study field.

At the 4th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves

Human Resources Development●Field Study on Sustainable Development Goals in Kanazawa City
Kanazawa City, July 11-15, 2016
Since adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) at the UN General Assembly in September 2015,
various initiatives to implement the SDGs have been
unfolding in Japan. OUIK partnered with Kanazawa University to have a field study on the sustainability ofKanazawa City, focusing on the four themes of energy
and waste, water, primary industry, and education as anentry point to understand seventeen goals.
Foreign exchange students from Kanazawa University
and students from UNU's master's and doctoral programs participated. After touring the city's historiccultural landscapes and related facilities and communities, they presented their findings while contrastingthem with their own research themes and policy challenges in their own countries.

Students holding up completion certificates after theirpresentation (photo: Aida Mammadova)●Training for Practitioners from Asia's BRs
Shibuya, Tokyo, July 25-26, and Hakusan City & Other Sites in Mount Hakusan BR, October 22-29, 2016OUIK and Mount Hakusan BR Council co-organized amulti-stakeholder program with financial support froman Official Development Assistance Grant for UNESCO
activities in fiscal 2016. At a symposium in July, participants shared information on implementation of the
newly adopted Lima Action Plan in South Korea, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, and Japan, while affirming the importance of concrete actions by local communities andrepresentatives of sites in the Japanese Biosphere Reserves Network. In October, we held a training programfor Asia BR practitioners. Using Mount Hakusan BR
booklet as an example, we showed how local information on BR features and biocultural diversity can be―6―Training participants from Asia and Dr. Schlegel (back row, fourthfrom right)

mation on BR features and biocultural diversity can be compiled; trainees then shared examples of BR
management across Asia. The trainees were also visited to Mount Hakusan BR excursion and discussed local issues. UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences Dr Schlegel also joined the workshop.
Outcomes of the program were reported in a parallel session of the 1st Asian Conference on BCD, wherean appeal was made on the importance of educational exchange between local practitioners. Trainees
gave poster presentations on their BRs and contributed to the discussion on biocultural conservation anduse.

●GIAHS Study Tour for Government Officials from Laos and Myanmar
Kanazawa City, Noto Region, November 13-18, 2016
As part of its international contribution as a GIAHS site
host, Ishikawa Pref. has been taking in trainees from developing countries which are seeking GIAHS designation.
OUIK has provided lectures on GIAHS concepts and theapplication process as a trainee educator.
This year, three trainees from Laos and Myanmar participated. In the course of training, OUIK described the GIAHS
program introducing examples of designated sites andaccompanied trainees on a Noto region tour. We also assisted to facilitate the outcome sharing session, which washeld in the course of trainig.

Trainees asking questions about community tourism atShunran no Sato, a farm stay accommodation in Noto
Town

● Supporting Secondary Education from a Global Perspective
The year 2016 brought many new opportunities for interacting with high school and university students.
OUIK helped foster the next generation by co-organizing a SDGs-themed workshop with Komatsu Summer
School, a liberal arts program for high school students taught by Japanese and American university students. In Izumigaoka High School's Super Global High School program, OUIK served as an advisor for a
training event at UNU Centre and various other trainings. And at Nanao High School, we served as a judge
in the school events such as Satoyama Satoumi Business Plan Contest and the final presentation event of
its Ishikawa New Super High School program.
These connections led to Izumigaoka and Nanao highschool students' participation in the Youth Session of the
1st Asian Conference of BCD. In the closing plenary session, the students announced, on behalf of their generation, their commitments to carrying on Ishikawa's biocultural diversity. We hope to continue this active collaboration with high school and university students to help ensure sustainable community initiatives.
Students of Izumigaoka High school attending lecture
at UNU Centre by Prof. Nagao (UNU-IAS) on poverty
issue in Africa―7―

Publications
 OUIK Biocultural Diversity Series #2 Mount Hakusan Biosphere Reserve: Creating a new path for communities and na ture (May 2016)
 Kanazawa Biodiversity Strategy: Policy Brief (Sep. 2016)
 OUIK Biocultural Diversity Series #3 Noto Satoumi Movement: Passing on wisdom of living with the sea (Oct. 2016)
 Abstract Book of 1st Asian Conference on Biocultural Diversity Thematic meetings and Poster Presentations (Oct. 2016)
See our publications here：www.ouik.unu.edu/en/publication

What is new?
 Launched a new website!

For more information, please visit our website : www.ouik.unu.edu
 Join us in welcoming our new staffs!

Juan Pastor Ivars
Juan is from Denia, Spain. After receiving an MA in architecture from Polytechnic University of Valencia, he has worked for six years in a government organization in Spain. Thenback to the above university, he received a PhD in architecture with a focus on Japanesegardens. After undertaking diverse internships and provided part-time assistance in Japan,
at OUIK as a research associate, he is promoting his research in light of architecture, urbanism and landscape ecology.
Satomi Kubo

Before joining UNU-IAS as an administrative assistant for OUIK, Satomi worked at an international logistics and transportation company in Tokyo as an export clerk and arranged
overseas shipments for seven years, and also experienced accounting and administration
as an assistant. Prior to that, she worked at Narita airport as a ground staff of JAL. Satomi
holds a BA in faculty of foreign studies from Kansai Gaidai University.

Published: January 1, 2017
United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability
Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa (UNU-IAS OUIK)
Shiinoki Cultural Complex Ishikawa Prefecture 3F, 2-1-1 Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, JAPAN 920-0962
Tel: +81-76-224-2266 Fax: +81-76-224-2271
Email: unu-iasouik@unu.edu
URL: www.ouik.unu.edu/en/
Find us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/OUIK.UNU.IAS―8―