From January 9th to 11th, an international conference was held at the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) in Ahmedabad, India. The Centre was celebrating its 40th anniversary with the cooperation of UN agencies (such as UNEP, UNESCO, and UNICEF) and the Indian government.

 

Invited by Mr. Kartikeya Sarabhai, Director of CEE, Vice President (Global Engagement), and UNESCO Chairholder Prof. YOKOI Atsufumi delivered a speech during the opening session. Additionally, he participated as a speaker in a special session titled “Bringing a Culture of Sustainability in the Higher Education Institutions,” emphasizing the significance of advancing CEE’s legacy for the coexistence of humanity and the planet through intergenerational solidarity.

 

The conference also featured Dr. Ashok Khosla, a key figure in promoting sustainability concepts in the context of environmental education and sustainable development in India, and former International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) President and co-chair of the International Resource Panel. Dr. Charles Hopkins, UNESCO Chairholder from York University and a global authority on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), also participated, exchanging views on CEE’s history, role, and sustainability in higher education institutions.

 

The Sarabhai family, founders of CEE, is a distinguished family known for supporting Gandhi, the father of Indian independence. The family pioneered India’s space development, and following India’s independence, it advanced development nationwide through education, science and technology, and social contribution efforts.

Vice President Prof. Yokoi and Mr. Sarabhai, council members of the Earth Charter International Secretariat at the University for Peace, are working together on ESD.

 

Okayama University will continue accelerating research, education, and social contribution initiatives through multistakeholder and intergenerational solidarity, aiming to co-create a desired future for the region and the planet.