From Lake Biwa to the World for the 19th World Lake Conference!
International Lake Environment Committee (ILEC) welcomed ILEC Scientific Committee members and held theInternational Symposium 2022 "Fostering the Value of Lakes for Future Generations" on Saturday, October 15, 2022.
Toward realizing the resolution "Sustainable Lake Management" at the 5th United Nations Environment Assembly(UNEA5.2) which was held in Nairobi in March 2022, it is important to work together with local communities as
symbolized by the "Lake Biwa Model". Therefore, this symposium was held to share and discuss efforts to protect
and enhance the value of lakes and to disseminate them to the world so that young people and citizens can reaffirm
the value of lakes and deepen their understanding of the further development of sustainable lake management, using
ecotourism as a starting point. The outputs of this symposium will be reviewed and discussed at the 19th World Lake
Conference (Lake Balaton, Hungary) to be held in the fall of next year.
The event was viewed on-site and online by 175 people from 20 countries. We would like to thank all participants.

Theme: “Fostering the Value of Lakes for Future Generations”
Date: October 15th, 2022 10:00am～4:30pm (JST / UTC +9)
Part 1 Lake Ecotourism Contest (Final Judging)
Part 2 International Symposium 2022 “Fostering the Value of Lakes for Future Generations”
Venue: Shiga Prefectural Lake Biwa Museum Hall, Annex / live streaming(In a hybrid format / With Japanese-English Simultaneous Interpretation)
Host: International Lake Environment Committee Foundation (ILEC),
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and Shiga Prefectural Lake Biwa Museum
Participants: 175 people from 20 countries■ International Symposium 2022 "Fostering the Value of Lakes for Future Generations"

IN
THIS
ISSUE

・ Part 1 Lake Ecotourism Contest (Final Judging)・ Part 2 International Symposium 2022 “Fostering the Value of Lakes for Future Generations”
・ Behind the Scenes of this Event* Reports, videos, and presentation materials of the event are available on the ILEC
website at https://www.ilec.or.jp/en/un-cooperation/mainstreaminglakes/#eis2022

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Summary of Opening Remarks〈Kazuhiko Takemoto, President, ILEC〉
The resolution on "Sustainable Lake Management" at the UNEA 5.2 was amajor step for sustainable lake management.
Now is the time for all stakeholders to accelerate action toward the goal ofsustainable lake management. Citizens need to understand the value of the lake
environment.

〈Taizo Mikazuki, Governor of Shiga Prefecture〉- Video Message Lake Biwa is a mirror reflecting our lives, and it can never shine if we only
focus on cleaning it. We who live around Lake Biwa must reconsider ourlifestyles for the sake of the lake's environment. Protecting Lake Biwa’s
environment also means reconsidering our ways of life.

Part 1. Final Judging of Lake Ecotourism Contest
To foster human resources capable of contributing to sustainable lake management through Ecotourism promotion
efforts, the "Lake Ecotourism Contest" was held to discover the value of lakes through ecotourism proposals from theyounger generation and to use these proposals to improve the environment. Eight groups applied for the contest, andthe four groups that passed the preliminary screening made presentations, followed by the final screening andawards.
In addition to one Grand Prize winner, two Excellence Award winners, and one Special Award winner, we took
advantage of the hybrid format of the contest to select one Viewer's Award winner, which was voted on in real-timeby both the on-site audiences and online participants. In addition, in the awards ceremony, ILEC awards were given
to the best proposals from among the participation prizes.
The team from Seian University of Art and Design, the grand prize winner of this contest, will participate in the 19th
World Lake Conference to be held in Hungary next fall. We look forward to the continued success of the young
generation.
〔Judges〕○ Yoshika Yamamoto (Chief Judge), Professor, Heian Jogakuin (St. Agnes') College○ Yoshiyuki Kawato, Chair, Biwako Visitors Bureau Public Interest Incorporated Association○ Kayoko Kameda, Vice Director, Shiga Prefectural Lake Biwa Museum○ Yoichi Nakajima, Director, Lake Biwa Conservation and Restoration Division,
Shiga Prefectural Government○Ajit Kumar Pattnaik, ILEC Scientific Committee (India)〇 Onsite and Online participants○Alejandro Juarez Aguilar, ILEC Scientific Committee (Mexico)

Special Judge for Viewer's Award2

◎Final Result of Lake Ecotourism Contest
Prize/Award

Affiliation

Title

Grand Prize
and Viewer’s Award

Seian University of Art and Design

Enjoying Tracing Ecotourism

Excellence AwardInternational Volunteer University
Student Association (IVUSA) ,Kyoto University of Foreign Studies

Be a Researcher Tour in BIWAKO

Excellence Award

Ritsumeikan University

Eco-Tourism starts with Trail Running

Special Award

General Incorporated Association
SwitchSwitch

Experience 400 years of history!
Traditional Fishing Method Sustainable TourILEC Award(Participation Award)

Biwako Hojo no Sato
Ritsumeikan University

Creating a River Where Fireflies Fly Ecotourism topromote Shiga Prefecture’s attractions

Omi Uraraka Net, Kobe University

Reed Tourism

The University of Shiga Prefecture

What“Attractive Eco-tourism for young generation” belike?

Kyoto Sangyo University

Use non-native species to revitalize the local economy
and develop a new food culture.

Participation Award

Summary of the Contest<Yoshika Yamamoto, Chief Judge>

All the presentations were full of innovative ideas from young people leading the next generation.
They were wonderful ecotourism proposals that will further refine the value of lakes. We expectthat the concept of ecotourism itself will take another step forward from here.

◎Introduction of Final Judging Presentations
Here are the proposals of the four groups that made presentations in the final round of judging.
Proposals from all applicants (8 groups) are available on the ILEC website.
Please take a look at them as well.

https://www.ilec.or.jp/en/un-cooperation/mainstreaminglakes/#eis2022
Rao Sasaki, Akari Taira,Proposer： Seian University of Art and Design
Title ： Enjoying Tracing Ecotourism
We propose a system of local curators. For example, an architect mightlook at materials and topography, and a farmer might look at vegetation.
Even if they are looking at the same landscape or place, they have different
perspectives. Each expert (curator) will guide you through the region from a different point of view, and we hope you will
enjoy the change in perspectives and want to visit again and again.

Q&A
Judge Kameda: "How do you ask local curators to cooperate?"
Proposers: "We use the connections between the people who gather at our community markets as a stepping stone."
Chief Judge Yamamoto: "What is your pricing method, and how do you cooperate with curators at this stage?
Proposers: "We set the price based on the assumption that the target would be overseas 40-50 year-olds, and thefood and accommodation experiences would be well worth the price of 60,000 yen per person. We've hadinternational tour groups see the presentation of this tour, and they've been supportive, so it's feasible."3◎Introduction of Final Judging Presentations
Saeko Ito, Arika Tanabe, and Yutai Liu,

Proposer： International Volunteer University Student Association (IVUSA) /Kyoto University of Foreign Studies

Title ： “Be a Researcher Tour in BIWAKO
Targeting children who will be the leaders of the next generation, we propose the"Be a Researcher Tour in BIWAKO", which has already been planned and realized.
In recent years, children spend most of their time in classrooms and have had fewer opportunities to experiment andexperience local nature. Therefore, we provide a learning opportunity for children to realize the value of local water
resources amid nature with university students.

Q&A
Judge Kameda: "How do you find the child's spirit of exploration in the first step, and how do you promote and get
participants?"
Proposers: "It is important to attract not only children but also their parents. Putting up posters in various places andusing catchphrases that attract their attention is the first step."
Judge Kawato: "In your presentation, the phrases "in Area" and "in Nature" change to "with" at the end. What is yourintention to change "in" to "with"?"Proposers: "I had been thinking about the nuance of protecting nature "in nature", but when I was preparing mypresentation, I thought "with nature" would be better. I used a catchphrase that people don't usually hear, hoping toimpress them.
Mana Kubozono, Marina Hata, Jua Fujieda,

Proposer： Ritsumeikan University

Title ： Eco-Tourism starts with Trail Running
We propose three programs: Trail running to see and try to preserve themountains that Shiga prefecture has, Local walk to communicate with local
people and try to find issues in Shiga Prefecture, and Glocal (global + local)
simulation gaming to incorporate the opinions of people from various
perspectives. Our Eco-tourism plan is to make a sustainable local support system with mountains, rivers, forests, people’s
history, etc., and try to realize a clean economic cycle with them.

Q&A
Judge Ajit: "What are the unique selling points of your tours?"
Proposers: "It is to be able to revitalize the economic system of Shiga Prefecture through eco-tourism, including
trail running."
Judge Alejandro: "How will you implement and realize your proposal?"
Proposers: "We get comments from people and overcome problems through trial and error."
Masato Banno, Kiyoharu Tanabe,

Proposer： General Incorporated Association SwitchSwitch
Experience 400 years of history!
Traditional Fishing Method Sustainable TourWe propose an experience tour program of the local traditional fishing industry,
which has continued for 400 years in Mikata Goko (Five Lakes of Mikata) in
Fukui. This fishery is sustainable because it has been continuing without
depleting its resources for 400 years, which can also have a high educational
effect on participants. By adding a new experience menu, the program will generate additional income outside of the fishingindustry, and in addition, a portion of the participation fee will be used to conserve the satoyama and protect fisheryresources.

Title ：

Q&A
Judge Mochizuki: "You have developed new products such as hamburgers and canned food. Are they on track as abusiness? "Proposers: "We can only make 1,200 cans and sell them all for 1.2 million yen. So, it is not that easy to say whether
it is a viable business or not. Even so, the fact that we have sold 1,000 canned goods and burgers is a big
achievement, and we think the people who say the canned goods and burgers are delicious are a big part of our success."4◎ Introduction of International and Domestic Eco-tourism Case Studies
Case #1

Erzsébet Sitku, Lake Balaton Development Council (Hungary)(Video)Ecotourism in the Balaton-Felvidéki National Park
Balaton-Felvidéki National Park is located on the northern shore of Lake Balaton, Hungary's second mostvisited tourist destination. The area is very diverse in terms of natural, geological, and cultural heritage,
with volcanoes, wetlands, broad valleys, vineyards, old castles, and churches. A well-planned ecotourism
system is needed to showcase these values. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, people have turned
primarily to natural values. The pandemic led to an increase in the number of visitors to natural habitats,mainly focusing on the natural values, which has had a significant impact on the region. This is a newchallenge for tourism. Environmental education that constantly addresses new challenges is crucial tominimize negative impacts while raising people's environmental awareness and behavior and connecting
irreplaceable values to the future. Carefully planned eco-tourism promotes the protection of natural andcultural values. It helps local communities and sustainable development and ensures people's well-being.

Case #2(Online)Jon Bruno, The International Ecotourism Society (USA)
Ecotourism in Vietnam at Ba Be Lake - Thoughts for Sustainable Lake Ecotourism
Lake Ba Be is a combination of three different lakes and is rich in biodiversity. The surrounding area also
has a 2,000-year history of civilization and is home to various ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples.
The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and since the late 1990s, the Vietnamese government has
focused on making the site more sustainable and taking responsibility for the history and customs of thelocal people. The fact that this area is an example of how ecotourism and other sustainable industries havesuccessfully preserved not only biodiversity, but also history, community, culture, and traditions, as well as
financial resources. I have highlighted this area as a potential model for other lake basin communities thatare trying to develop sustainably without losing their identity.

Case #3

Yuichi Maruhashi, Secretariat General, Higashiomi Ecotourism Promotion Council (Japan)
Ecotourism in Higashiomi City
Higashiomi City is located east of Lake Biwa and has become a very large city as a result of a merger.
Fifty-six percent of the area is forested, and the climate zone is very complex and diverse. The Higashiomi
City Ecotourism Promotion Overall Concept is the 21st in Japan and the first in Shiga Prefecture to becertified. Ecotourism will not progress unless it is done together with local people. It is important how tocreate an atmosphere of working together not only with the government but also with the local community.
It is a very time-consuming and steady effort that must be made to gain understanding through daily
relationships.

Case #4

Ryoichi Taniguchi, Makino Nature Observation Club (Japan)
Ecotourism in the Makino Region
Makino is located on the border of the Shiga and Fukui prefectures, and just beyond the mountains is the
Sea of Japan. The mountains, villages, and Lake Biwa are all nearby and compactly located, so you canenjoy a variety of experiences such as digging bamboo shoots or kayaking to view cherry blossoms in thespring, cooking with children using local ingredients, or playing in the river in the summer. We arepromoting eco-tourism in a way that we want to directly convey the charms of Makino, but we are also
working to make elementary and junior high school children aware of the local attractions first so thatthey can work together as a whole community.

◎Exhibits
Panels on "Mainstreaming Lakes" by ILEC, "Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)" and"Mother Lake Goals (MLGs)" by the Shiga Prefectural Government were displayed in front of the Lake Biwa
Museum Hall. Additionally, product exhibition booths of "Hiyoshi Corporation", and "HORIBA Advanced
Techno, Co., Ltd.", which sponsored this event, were set up at the annex of the Lake Biwa Museum.

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Part 2. International Symposium 2022
“Fostering the Value of Lakes for Future Generations”
Keynote speeches were given on topics such as "Lake Biwa System," which was registered as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage
Systems (GIAHS) this July, and ecotourism and lake environment conservation overseas.
In the panel discussion on the theme of "Toward Sustainable Use of Cultural Service," the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP), the Indonesian government, Japan's Ministry of the Environment, and the Shiga Prefectural Government were invited to discusscapacity building, local participation, education, and legal systems for sustainable lake management in the future. And also, the results of areal-time questionnaire conducted after the keynote speeches were presented and included in the discussion.
Moderator Adelina Santos Borja, ILEC Scientific Committee Member (Philippines), summed up the session that "It is important to reflect
local voices and act towards sustainable ecotourism and lake management."◎Keynote speeches
OnlineJunko Owada, Doshisha University (Japan)“Biwa Lake to land integrated system ”Possibility of GIAHS＆SDGs Tourism
Eleven regions in Japan certified as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) are working on"sustainable agriculture" (#2), "terrestrial ecosystems" (#15), and "quality education" (#4), among the 17 goalsof the SDGs. In particular, "quality education" is an essential initiative to connect agricultural heritage to the
future, as more and more communities are focusing on promoting the study of agricultural heritage to local
children. In case of Lake Biwa (Shiga Prefecture), it has provided excellent learning opportunities for local
children, and I would like to see these programs offered not only to local children but also to children, students,and even adults in neighboring prefectures.

OnlineThomas Schaefer, Global Nature Fund (Germany)“Ecotourism and Lake Environmental Conservation Overseas”
Tourism has a huge impact on the environment, even in the most remote places. Sustainable ecotourism cansupport the management of protected areas like lakes and wetlands. Tourism must be truly sustainable. I can also
view the growing income of the local communities helping to take pressure from protected areas like lakes andwetlands. And I would recommend “just do it”, taking this phrase from a well-known sports producer.

◎Panel Discussion (Presentation Part)
OnlineHartwig Kremer, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (Kenya)"Tackling the Global Water Crisis - A Focus on Water Quality, Capacity Development and Cultural
Dimensions of bringing Data to Action where needed" (Capacity Building)
The "Sustainable Lake Management" resolution adopted at UNEA5 concentrates on all aspects of watershedmanagement on lentic water systems. The resolution is very important and calls on UNEP to help promotesustainable lake management at all levels.

OnlineAudy Joinaldy, Vice Governor of West Sumatera Province (Indonesia)"National Priority Lake Conservation Through Eco-Edu Tourism and Community Engagement inWest Sumatera Province, Indonesia" (Community Participation)
To conserve priority lakes through Eco-Edu Tourism and community engagement: first, use the lake area as asite of the geopark master plan, second, control the growth of water hyacinths in Lake Maninjau throughhandicrafts, third, development of Biodiversity Conservation Areas in Lake Maninjau with the Eco-Edu Tourism
Concept, and the development of tourism villages and lake tourism on the lakes.
Michihiro Oi, Director, Water Environment Division, Environmental Management Bureau, Ministry of the Environment (Japan)"Lakes & Water Environment for Education, Legislative Framework" (Education, Legal System)
In Japan, the government as a whole is working to conserve the water environment, including lakes andreservoirs, and to use this for education and tourism, as well as for environmental and regional
development, in a manner that protects the entire water cycle.

Nobuhiko Miwa, Director General, Shiga Prefectural Government (Policies, MLGs) (Japan)"Sustainable Use of the Cultural Services of Lake Biwa" (Policies)
I think that the symbiotic relationship that has been built over many years between Lake Biwa and its people,
and the culture rooted in the relationship, has tremendous potential. I believe that the lifestyle of Shiga canserve as a model for sustainable societies around the world, and I am confident that it will resonate with visitors
to Shiga.

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Results of the real-time questionnaire
Q1. What do you associate with the value of the lake?

4％

Q2. What do you think is needed to protect and foster the value ofthe lake, and also to connect it to the next generation?

Rich naturalenvironment
Water supply,
agriculture andindustrial water
Recreation
Fishery resources

4％

Ongoing local activities
Encourage people to think about
lakes (e.g., establishment ofWorld Lakes Day)
Environmental education(e.g., boat-boarding study)
and Capacity building
Create more opportunities
for people to love lakes◎Panel Discussion (Discussion Part)
Adelina Santos-Borja, ILEC Scientific Committee (Philippines)
A survey of the participants showed that many of them felt the natural beauty of the lake is of greatvalue. Therefore, how maintaining the natural beauty of lakes is a challenge for all of us. A call to action
will be needed. Community contribution and community participation are essential to promoteecotourism. To be more effective, tourists need to know the local culture. Economic factors are also very
important to make ecotourism sustainable.

Hartwig Kremer, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (Kenya)
Ecosystem resources and services play an important role in building ownership of not only economic values, but also avariety of cultural, recreational, and spiritual values. Building ownership requires involving the entire community,
providing those values to the community on an ongoing basis, and managing and guiding people's lifestyle aspirations forvalue.

Sandra Azevedo, ILEC Scientific Committee (Brazil)
I believe that ecotourism is something that will come to fruition after a long road. During this longroad, we need to consider the process of modification and environmental education. Compared to thesituation and reality in Japan, the situation is different in the world. Tourism is sometimes a predatory
activity and gives more problems from an environmental point of view, consequently, considering the
local population, it is important to change the goals of tourism.

Nobuhiko Miwa, Director General, Shiga Prefectural Government (Policy, MLGs) (Japan)
It is very important to understand sensibly that Lake Biwa is finite and not sustainable if we continue to exploit it beyond
its limits. Many people in Shiga Prefecture are aware of this, and I believe that Mother Lake Goals is one manifestation of
our efforts to communicate and expand this feeling with them. This can be sensibly understood thanks to the fact that
Shiga Prefecture originally have fishing industries and Lake Biwa, to prevent over-catching. I believe that bycommunicating this to many people now, at this time, we can help curb this over-exploitation of ecotourism.

Masahisa Nakamura, Vice President, ILEC (Japan)
There are times when what we thought was sustainable is not. We import most of our food fromoverseas, so we need to consider the possibility that what we thought was sustainable in Lake Biwa is
destroying sustainability somewhere in someone's life. The international significance of the Lake Biwa
model is the case for a lake like Lake Biwa, but there are many other lakes in the world and manydifferent ways of thinking about sustainability, and it is also important to create opportunities to think
about sustainability from various perspectives.

Michihiro Oi, Director, Water Environment Division, Environmental Management Bureau, Ministry of the Environment (Japan)
I feel that the type of experiential learning for environmental education at each site and what the children feel depends on
the program. As for the Shiga Prefecture case, I think Lake Biwa is a really good teaching tool. It is rich in natural
resources and is very close to people's lives. It is the true mother lake. I thought the program was designed to help children,
especially those in Shiga Prefecture, understand the importance of protecting the nature of Lake Biwa, as well as to help
them understand the appreciation of water.

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General Summary of the Symposium<Yasuo Takahashi, Director, ILEC>

We shared our experiences in managing the rich Japanese lakes, especially Lake Biwa. We
believe that continuous efforts based on scientific knowledge will improve the environment oflakes over the world.

◎Side Story of the Event<Taste the delicacies of Lake Biwa!>
During lunch, "Let's Eat the Blessings of Lake Biwa" was held as anopportunity for exchange between contest and symposium participants. They
enjoyed the food culture of Lake Biwa, such as Biwa trout and shrimp
beans, while deepening exchanges.

<From Lake Biwa to the world!>
With the support of 17 companies and organizations in Shiga Prefecture, we
produced Shigaraki-ware pin badges in the shape of Lake Biwa,
commemorating this symposium to share information from Lake Biwa withthe world. The six-color badges represent the diverse beauty and value of
Lake Biwa, such as pellucid water and sunset, and express "Fostering theValue of Lakes for Future Generations”.

◎Voices of Participants
It was good to hear young people's innovative ideas.

The interpretation was smooth and easy to listen to.

I learned a lot by listening to global precedents.

I gained a lot of insights from the keynote speeches.

I liked the venue with the view of Lake Biwa.

I liked the theme of ecotourism.

The Viewer's Awards should have been announced at the event.

There were parts where the audio was choppy.

It was good that it was a hybrid format so I could participate in the same voting and questionnaire both at the venue
and online, which gave me a sense of unity.

◎External News Reports
This event was reported by Biwako Broadcasting Corporation and the Chunichi Shimbun. For more information
on Biwako Broadcasting, you can find the archive on the ILEC website.

◎Sponsors (in no particular order)

Newsletter No. 70 will be published in March 2023. The next issue will feature the 19th World
Lake Conference (Balaton, Hungary)" to be held next year. Please look forward to it!

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