Declaration for the Future:
Cooperative Efforts between UNESCO and Japanese Youth
Concerning Climate Change
The Youth Committee of Japanese National Commission for UNESCO
and the participants of the Youth Forum, UNESCO WEEK 2024

March 4, 2024

Declaration for the Future:
Cooperative Efforts between UNESCO and Japanese Youth Concerning Climate Change
Background
Since April 2023, we, the Youth Committee of Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, have engaged in discussions regarding the roleand significance of youth in the future. These discussions aim to empower youth aged between 10 and 30 who bear responsibility for shaping
the future of our society, encouraging them to collaborate across diverse fields and engage in addressing issues related to climate change.
Throughout the year, we have collaborated with students from UNESCO-affiliated communities in high schools and universities across thecountry, such as Tamagawa University, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nara University of Education, and Usuki High School. We discussed
activities that individuals can pursue independently or in collaboration with UNESCO while envisioning the future of Japan in relation toclimate change.
On 21 January 2024, during UNESCO Week 2024, we convened at a Youth Forum held in Japan titled "Declaration for the Future by theYouth: Considering Climate Change through UNESCO Activities” to promote collaboration between youth groups engaged in UNESCO activitiesand experts. The forum provided a platform to address climate change and enhance and promote diverse interests of youth in the fields ofeducation, science, and culture.
The Forum was divided into 3 different sessions that were held concurrently: "Education in Response to Climate Change Issues andSustainable Development (ESD)" by the subcommittee for education, "Scientific Communication: Countermeasures in Response to Climate
Change" by the subcommittee for science, and “The Value of 'Creative Cities' as Places to Consider Earth-friendly Lifestyles" by thesubcommittee for culture. Current challenges related to climate change issues and the roles of youth and their contribution to UNESCO
activities were discussed alongside experts during the panel discussions at the end of each session. The concluding workshop of the forum
established a basis for a comprehensive draft outlining our “Declaration for the Future“, incorporating the contents of each subcommittee’ssession.
This declaration not only explicitly states our commitment to addressing climate change issues collectively with UNESCO, but also
reflects our aspiration for broadening engagement among youth across Japan and around the world. In the Appendix, we have outlined theprocedures for replicating the workshop and summarized the opinions expressed during the Youth Forum. We urge all readers andstakeholders to formulate their own "Declaration for the Future.“ The Youth Committee of the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO
stands ready to support any initiatives related to it.
Furthermore, while this declaration was compiled by the Youth Committee of Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, it wasformulated through discussions in collaboration with other participants of the Youth Forum. Therefore, this declaration represents both theCommittee and the Youth Forum participants.

March 4, 2024
The Youth Committee of Japanese National Commission for UNESCO and the participants of the Youth ForumDeclaration for the Future
Cooperative Efforts between UNESCO and Japanese Youth
Concerning Climate Change
We hereby declare that in consideration for our future, we will engage in the following activities
Education“To create opportunities for dialogue not only among youth but across all generations, encouraging action on
climate change to foster builders of a sustainable society”

Science“To collaborate with researchers in academia and relevant industries, as well as stakeholders from World
Natural Heritage sites, UNESCO Global Geoparks, and Biosphere Reserves, advancing dialogue on theutilization of Japan's high-tech technologies for environmental conservation and the importance there of”

Culture“To leverage the uniqueness and creativity of various regions in Japan to conserve, create, establish, anddisseminate environmentally friendly cultural practices alongside stakeholders from the UNESCO CreativeCities Network”(Appendix)

Some of the comments we received from a discussion aimed at formulating a "Declaration for the Future" under the themeof “How I, as a Youth, envision Japan in 30 years” *A place where you candrink delicious Japanese
green tea

Somewhere to enjoy
cherry blossoms withfamily and friends

Where students can playthe “Summer Koshien”
finals without heat strokerisk

Somewhere to easily
travel anywhere on anelectric bikeExpertise in disastermitigation to mentor
other countries in dealing
with natural disasters

Salmon that still swim
upstream in the rivers ofHokkaido

A place were Edogawa
ward (Tokyo) still exists

A society where humans
and nature and wildlife
can coexist

Somewhere to hike in themountains full of autumn
colorsTo diminish death by heatstroke, which is the maincause of death for elders

A society where damage
from natural disasters islower than now.

A country capable to exert
diplomatic influence andpromote international
cooperation

A place where wild birds
can be seen everywhere

A society where concerns
about infectious diseases
are no greater than theyare now

A place where you can eat
delicious chocolate

A place where delicious
fish can still be enjoyedA place with clean air

A place to share withclimate refugees

A place where you canlively comfortably withoutworrying about climatechange

A Japan that continues tobroadcast its appeal of all
its regions to the world

A thriving primaryindustry*Conceived by The Youth Committee of the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, along Tamagawa University, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nara
University of Education, Usuki High School during previous discussions.

Appendix“Declaration for the Future” – Draft formulation workshop

During the Youth Forum, participants engaged with experts in panel discussions within the Educational, Scientific, and Cultural subcommittees. Following this,youth attendees exchanged ideas about their individual reflections, such as actual and future activities in the “Declaration for the Future” draft formulation
workshop. To encourage further discussion in Japan and around the world, we have provided some guidelines below for replicating this workshop. We
encourage all readers to consider organizing a workshop with friends or acquaintances and create their own "Declaration for the Future”!

1. Access to the archived videos* of the panel discussions held during the Youth Forum by clicking or reading the QR codes below.
(if working in group, create 3 teams and assign one video to each)
Education

QR codeScienceCulture*All archived videos are in Japanese

2. After watching the panel discussions on video reflect on the following:a) What can you do as an individual to address the issue of climate change?
b) What actions can you take with the people around you? (e.g., family, friends, colleagues)
3. Share your thoughts with other people!
If working in groups
If working alone
Access the Google Jamboard below and write your thoughts Share your ideas with the other group membersa) Explain what you thought/learnt from the panel discussion(Google Jamboard QR code)b) Share your reflections from step 2

4. Categorize the brought-up actions/ideas and locate them in the map where it may correspond (Refer to next page)
5. Finally, let’s redact a “personal declaration” of a specific action that we can do to combat climate change!
“As a member of the youth, I am committed to tackling the climate crisis by…
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿.”

Appendix“Declaration for the Future” – Draft formulation workshop map

During the Youth Forum, participants engaged with experts in panel discussions within the Educational, Scientific, and Cultural subcommittees. Following this,youth attendees exchanged ideas about their individual reflections, such as actual and future activities in the “Declaration for the Future” draft formulation
workshop. To encourage further discussion in Japan and around the world, we have provided some guidelines below for replicating this workshop. We
encourage all readers to consider organizing a workshop with friends or acquaintances and create their own "Declaration for the Future”!
：Summary of discussions in each subcommittee｜‐ Usage Guide ‐To create anenvironment forsharing, learning, andinsights.

To create a club for
UNESCO activities atschool
Education that
fosters questioning

To create more opportunities
to harness children'simagination and initiative!

To know the university
surroundings better.

#ActionTo share my knowledge
with children from nearby
schools

To convey theimportance of living
creatures through myexperience

To take regular outdoor
walks to reconnect withnature

To try share ideas withother people withdifferent perspectives

To develop barrier free/inclusive learning activities

Outreach lessons/activities led by youth

Project-based learning
programs by youth

Science• It is important to make steady efforts
to communicate your opinions andwhat you want to advocate throughsocial media, etc.
• It is important not only to put out
information but also understand theneeds and trends of recipients anddevelop strategies for suchinformation to reach them.
• On the other hand, recipients of
information need to be selective
about what information to take inand be alert.

To increase efforts to create
an environment thatfacilitates taking action

To create an outof-school
network

To pursue my dream andfigure out how to contributeto education by sharing myexperience

To create a mechanism forvibrant activity in the ‘thirdplace’To learn about
politics at school

To provide spaces
for collective
learning

To interact with people from various fields andget involved in projects together
To rethink the format of Presentations ofLearning (POL) and invite the general public

To utilize ICT/ Online
resources to the fullest

Spacecreation
To exchange opinions with thepublic during environmental
studies courses

Online outreachlessons with experts
To disseminate
information about
environmental issues
besides climate change

To question
existing norms
and practices

To have yourown opinion
To becomesomeone’s rolemodel
Consciously recycle
and separate trash

Info diffusion

To interact with the Youth around theworld#Dialogue
To engage actively inprojects without
becoming pedantic

Local cooperation
To connect ‘adults’ and the ‘Youth”

Talk casually with classmates about climatechangeTo engage youth in institutions andorganizations

To participate in events andorganizations that combat climatechangeJoin events and create networks
for like-minded people

To have feelings of hope, not justanxiety

To invite people to local
eventsTo share even the smallest
things in some way!

#Diffusion

Collective happinessTo invite elder generations
to take action

Collaborate witholder generations

To create a place for exchanging
ideas with companies

To create a place to interact withlocal people

To hold a “Creative City youthsummit”

To love the planet

To do what you want to
do in society#AwarenessIndividuality overconformity

To protect culinary
traditions

To reduce cooking oil consumption

Cherish nature

Visit all the“Creative Cities”(Japan)To be aware of taking careof your future selfCulture••

To use generationalawareness to create
solidarity#Creativity•

I want to go on a field trip to Usuki City•

To get to know the “Creative Cities” andlearn more about it#Connection

To give ownership to youth and schools activities

Doesn’t ‘culture’ begin withinteraction between people?

Cooperationbetween cities

Go to places, meetpeople, joincommunities

To get youth involved and inspire
motivation across all generations•To imagine and create
together

Believe in the Youth!

To experience diverse values

To create opportunities to listen to
the needs and opinions of young
peopleTo disseminate
relevant information
ourselves

To provide youth withplatforms and spaces tocollaborate

To discuss aboutsocial problems
with friends

Create opportunities to learn
about specific problems andissues around us

To set clear goals andcommunicate them

To create a student platform
to share what is learnt.

To keep “windows ofinterest“ open and havevarious means of action
available.

Prioritize
happiness

Plan the next step with the person you met
today.

To provide “practical output” spaces

To diffuse case studies

Share opinions aboutsociety through SNScontent.

Continuity
To stop the singleuse of plastic bottles

Assertivecommunication• In dealing with global issues such as climatechange, we need more collaboration, notconflict between different generations ofpeople.
• It is important to let people know that there
are many ways to relate to climate change.
• It is important to establish a community
where people can share their awareness ofissues.
• It is important to output what you havelearned and involve those around you asactors.

To create and share content
in SNS

To make social issues
more comprehensible byavoiding specialized
terminology.

To think aboutothers

Education

To create workshops
centered on real-timesituations

To utilize inquiry-basedlearning and other types ofclasses to convey information： Opinions expressed at the workshop (categorized based on the topics)

Uniqueness x creativity =sustainability
Learn about the culture andwisdom within the local
communities and foster pride andestablish the identity of the next
generation
It is important to create
opportunities for the next
generation to talk about thegeographical uniqueness of theirhometowns and learn about thepride of other towns.
Collaboration between creative
cities and fair-trade towns
The root of an earth-friendly way oflife lies in awareness of andrelationships with others.