The world is now facing a crisis of sustainability, and we see it as tremendously important to draw together the wisdom and vitality of youth, the torchbearers of the future of mankind. There are especially wide ranging missions for agricultural students, as agricultural science plays a key role in the solution of fundamental problems in food production and safety, environmental conservation, energy, and human health. The system of food production and consumption is without doubt closely related to the condition of the natural environment, the stage of economic development, and food culture in each country, and their patterns and problems reflect regional characteristics. It is thus important to understand how agriculture and food systems should be organized and maintained in each society.
In 2001, Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI) organized the “International Students Summit (ISS) on Food, Agriculture and Environment in the New Century” to provide students from our global partner universities with an opportunity to gather and exchange views and ideas on global food, agricultural and environmental issues, and also to discuss their own roles in sustainable development. Since then, ISS has been held every year at Tokyo NODAI. The participating students adopted Action Plan in 2002 and agreed to establish the International Students Forum (ISF) in 2003. The 12th ISS for the first time was held overseas at Michigan State University, USA, which is the first partner university of Tokyo NODAI. The 14th ISS in 2014 was sponsored jointly by Kasetsart University (KU) and Tokyo NODAI, at Kamphaeng Saen Campus, KU, in Thailand. The ISS also now provides a chance for Japanese high school students with high international awareness to present their activities.
This year Tokyo NODAI is celebrating the 125th anniversary of the founding, and the memorable 16th ISS will be held on September 29-30, 2016 at Tokyo NODAI Setagaya Campus in Tokyo, Japan. As the number of Tokyo NODAI partner universities has come up to more than 40, the number of participating students in the 16th ISS is expected to be the largest ever in this memorial year. The theme for this summit is “Students Promoting Environmental Justice in the Globalization of Intensive Agricultural Systems”, which was adopted at the 15th ISS. We hope the participating students to focus on their activities undertaken by each university in their presentations and discussions. The framework of student activity as to the rationale, methods, implications (economic, social and cultural), and constraints should be clarified in order to foster their contributions to the solution of global problems for the sustainability of this world.
Only one presentation will be accommodated for each participating university in the following sessions.
Opening Session: Opening ceremony and keynote speeches
Session 1: Universities with Students’ Actions in the field of food
Session 2: Universities with Students’ Actions in the field of environment
Session 3: Universities with Students’ Actions in the field of agriculture
Session 4: Universities with Students’ Actions in the field of education
Closing Session: Discussion and adoption of joint communique
Organizing Committee & Students Committee,
International Students Forum,
Tokyo University of Agriculture |
