Jun 10 2019

On Sunday, June 2, Niigata University held a symposium in Sado City to commemorate the opening of the Sado Island Center for Ecological Sustainability, which was established on Sado Island this April.

The center was established by integrating three institutions engaged in educational research on Sado Island: the Field Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, the Faculty of Agriculture; the Marine Biological Station of the Faculty of Science; and the Center for Toki (crested ibises) and Ecological Restoration.

Following the opening address given by President Sugata Takahashi, congratulatory addresses were given by the Governor of Niigata Prefecture, the Deputy Mayor of Sado City and Ms. Sonoko Watanabe, the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, who is in charge of Science Technology and the Academic Policy Bureau. After Professor Hitoshi Sakio, the Director of the Sado Island Center for Ecological Sustainability, introduced their activities and explained their plans for the future, Professor Toru Nakashizuka of the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature gave a keynote speech on the symbiosis of humans and nature titled "Scientific Viewpoints on the Blessings of the Forest, Land and Ocean."

Also, under the lead of Associate Professor Mitsuyo Toyoda of the center, Ms. Tomoko Nakajima, an actress, and Ms. Tomose Kamimura, an FM-NIIGATA personality, a Niigata University graduate, who were invited as guests, gave a special talk about our relationship with nature under the title of "Nature, the Cradle of Sensitivity." Ms. Nakajima read a picture book during the talk, which impressed the audience with nature and enabled them to realize new discoveries in everyday life.

The center will promote not only education, research, regional contribution and international exchange, utilizing the rich natural environment on Sado Island, but also research and education in complex areas such as the nature, society and history of forest, land and ocean that are all connected by revers.

Deputy Director Watanabe, giving a congratulatory address	Director Sakio of the Sado Island Center for Ecological Sustainability, giving a keynote speech
Keynote speaker, Professor Nakashizuka	Special talk by Associate Professor Toyoda, Ms. Nakajima and Ms. Kamimura