42nd UNU Global Seminar
Living with Nature through Disaster and Recovery: Lessons from Kanazawa and Noto
The 42nd UNU Global Seminar will explore how communities can live sustainably with nature in an era of increasing uncertainty caused by climate change, demographic shifts and natural hazards. Through lectures, field visits and group discussions, participants will examine how resilience can be strengthened through relationships between people, nature, culture and local knowledge.
The seminar focuses on two interconnected regional perspectives. In Kanazawa City, participants will learn about sustainable urban nature and biocultural diversity. In the Noto Peninsula, participants will engage with communities affected by the 2024 earthquake and heavy rainfall disasters, learning from local experiences of recovery, preparedness and long-term sustainability.
The programme encourages participants to consider resilience beyond physical reconstruction, including social cohesion, cultural continuity and community empowerment. The seminar aims to provide both theoretical and practical perspectives by combining academic lectures with experiential learning and interaction with local stakeholders, while learning interdisciplinary approaches to resilience and sustainability.
The seminar will include lectures, field visits and group work followed by presentations, and provide networking opportunities with students from other universities and academic backgrounds.
The programme is supported by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (MEXT), The Japan Foundation for UNU (JFUNU) and Ishikawa Prefecture.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the seminar, participants will be able to:
- Examine how relationships between people, nature and culture contribute to community resilience;
- Understand local experiences of disaster recovery and preparedness in the Noto Peninsula;
- Explore the role of sustainable urban nature and biocultural diversity in Kanazawa City;
- Reflect on how local knowledge and community-based approaches can contribute to more sustainable and resilient futures while empowering communities;
- Develop interdisciplinary perspectives through lectures, field visits and dialogue with local stakeholders.
Eligibility
The seminar is open to university students (both undergraduate and postgraduate) residing in Japan, irrespective of their major. Young professionals who are interested in the theme of the seminar are also welcome, although those working in the subject area are not admissible.
Participants are required to have a good command of English, as lectures will be delivered in English with no interpretation provided. The maximum number of participants is 40.
Modality
The 42nd Global Seminar will be conducted in person only.
Programme Schedule
Day 1 (Tuesday, 18 August)
- Registration (opens at 12:00)
- Opening ceremony
- Programme introduction
- Icebreaking activity
- Lecture
- Urban field visits in Kanazawa City
Stay in Kanazawa City
Day 2 (Wednesday, 19 August)
- Whole day: Field visit in the Noto Peninsula and discussions with local stakeholders
Stay in Noto (National Noto Youth Friendship Center)
Day 3 (Thursday, 20 August)
- Lectures in the Noto Peninsula
- Group work
Stay in Noto (National Noto Youth Friendship Center)
Day 4 (Friday, 21 August)
- Discussion (group work), final presentation and closing session
- Transfer to Kanazawa City (end of programme around 17:30)
Participants are recommended to reserve the train after 18:00.
How to Apply
Please fill out the online application form by 8 July 2026 (23:59 JST).
*Applications may be closed before the deadline if the number of applications reaches the maximum.
Notification of Selection
Applications will be screened after the deadline. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by email in mid-July 2026. The participation fee of JPY 50,000 must be deposited to the designated bank account by the designated deadline. Details will be sent directly to participants. [Top]
Fee
The programme fee is JPY 50,000 and covers the following:
- Seminar participation
- Transportation within Ishikawa Prefecture (as detailed in the programme above)
- Two-night accommodation in in National Noto Youth Friendship Center with check-in on 19 August and check-out on 21August (shared rooms)
- Meals:
19 August: lunch and dinner
20 August: breakfast, lunch and dinner
21 August: breakfast and lunch
The following are not included (participants must cover these costs separately):
- Transportation to and from the designated site in Kanazawa City
- One-night accommodation and dinner in Kanazawa City (18 August)
- Other individual expenses [Top]
Contact
Please send your inquiries to ias.pdt.event@unu.edu [Top]
Background
The aim of the UNU Global Seminars is to enhance awareness about contemporary global issues and the role of the United Nations in addressing those issues. Students and young professionals are given the opportunity to interact with distinguished scholars and practitioners from Japan and abroad, and to explore a specific issue in depth through lectures and group discussions. [Top]
History of the UNU Global Seminars
The UNU Global Seminars began in Japan in the Kanto area in 1985 with the first Shonan Session, and in the Kansai area in 1995 with the Kobe Session. In Japan, additional UNU Global Seminars are held in Tohoku, Shimane-Yamaguchi, Hokkaido, Kobe-Awaji, Kanazawa, and Okinawa. The expansion of the UNU Global Seminars abroad began with the Seoul (South Korea) Session in 2003. [Top]