“Green Blue Education Forum 2024” to be held and participant recruitment begins

The Green Blue Education Forum 2024 (GBEF), hosted by the Green Blue Education Forum Executive Committee (Chair: Noriko Ishizaka, Representative Director, Ishizaka Sangyo Co., Ltd.) and co-hosted by the Ministry of the Environment, has been confirmed for this year. Applications began on Thursday, August 1st.

This forum invites videos from elementary school students to university students (ages 25 and under) living in Japan, presenting their activities and proposals on the theme of “The Environment We Want to Protect and the Future We Want to Create.” Finalists will participate in a final presentation and awards ceremony on Saturday, November 2nd, at the Kyoto Prefectural Kyoto Gaku and Rekisaikan Hall.
In addition to presentations by the finalists, the event will also feature a panel discussion on the future.

◆ Purpose of the Event:
Now in its fifth year, the GBEF is organized by the Green Blue Education Forum Executive Committee, centered around the “Experience Opportunity Space” Research Institute*, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment, to provide an opportunity for young people to present the ideas they want to realize and the SDG activities they are currently implementing, and to discover leaders who will build local communities. The forum aims to bring together presenters and participants from Japan and abroad in the same space, allowing them to feel, learn, and think together, engaging many people and creating new, outstanding initiatives.

*About the “Experience Opportunity Place” Research OrganizationThe
“Experience Opportunity Place” Research Organization is a voluntary organization chaired by Noriko Ishizaka, who is also the representative director of Ishizaka Sangyo Co., Ltd. (headquarters: Miyoshi-cho, Saitama Prefecture).It was established with the aim of enabling businesses certified as “experience opportunity places” by prefectural governors and other organizations to further enhance their experience programs from a private perspective.Currently, 16 organizations are members, and in October 2022, an agreement was signed with the Ministry of the Environment to enhance and expand “experience opportunity places” based on the Environmental Education Promotion Act.

[Summary of the Green Blue Education Forum 2024]
Organizer: Green Blue Education Forum Executive Committee (within the “Experience Opportunity Place” Research Organization)
Co-organizer: Ministry of the Environment
Supported by: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City
Date and Time: Saturday, November 2, 2024, 10:00-16:00
Venue: Kyoto Prefectural Kyoto Gaku & Reisaikan 1F Large Hall (1-29 Shimogamo Hangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City)　
Overview: Final presentation competition, award ceremony, activity report from last year’s winners, future discussion
Details: Please refer to the official website. URL: https://gb-ef.org/

[Application Summary]
Application Period: Thursday, August 1, 2024 to Monday, September 30, 2024

Eligible applicants: Individuals and teams (groups) from elementary school to university students (under 25 years old) residing in Japan are welcome to apply.

Recruitment Details: Based on what you’ve experienced through school classes, extracurricular activities, community activities, and other “experiential activities,” participants are asked to think about the “environment we want to preserve and the future we want to create.” They are then asked to submit a video presentation (up to 3 minutes) that covers their thoughts on the attractiveness of the environment, the challenges of preserving it, and practical measures they can take to preserve it.

How to Apply: Upload your video to an online platform (LINE, Dropbox, YouTube, etc.), fill out the required information on the entry form, and submit it to the Green Blue Education Forum Executive Committee. URL: https://gb-ef.org/entry/

[Selection and Judging]
Individuals and teams who apply will undergo an initial screening process based on their submitted video and entry form. Teams that pass the initial screening process will then undergo a final screening process.

Initial Screening: Selection will be based on the submitted video and entry form. The winning teams will be announced online in early October 2024.

Final Screening (On the Day of the Forum): Teams that pass the initial screening process will be judged on a 5-minute presentation at the venue. The final judges will decide the winning teams, who will then be announced and an awards ceremony will be held.

Types of awards: Minister of the Environment Award, Special Sponsor Company Award, and others (planned)

Judging criteria: Evaluation will be based on the originality of the theme, originality of the proposal, expressiveness that can be conveyed, overall structure, and empathy that can be involved.

[Inquiries regarding this forum]
Green Blue Education Forum Executive Committee
(Secretariat of the “Experience Opportunity Place” Research Institute, Ishizaka Sangyo Co., Ltd.)
Email: info@esd-place.org
URL: https://gb-ef.org/