|
|
|
|
|
|
Special Report |
LAST UPDATE July 12, 2005
|
|
| site design imagesparkle.com |
| April 14, 2005 |
Global University Unit Three – Challenges for a Sustainable Society |
|
| |
 |
| Global University (GU) Navigator Mr. Juan Tokeshi and a GU student chat in Villa El Salvador. |
In the third unit of the onboard Global University (GU) programme, students tackled the issue of building and maintaining a sustainable society. From Montego Bay, Jamaica to Callao, Peru, students were joined by two Navigators: Mr. Miguel Azcueta, the first mayor of Villa El Salvador, Peru, and Mr. Juan Tokeshi, an architect who works with DESCO, a non-governmental organization working in the area of development in Peru. With the help of these two Navigators, students reflected on the definition of “sustainability,” focusing on a case study of Villa El Salvador, Peru. This community was established in the desert outside Lima in 1971 and has achieved worldwide recognition for its unique development model, which relies heavily on community participation and solidarity. Today, Villa El Salvador is home to 400,000 residents, 70% of whom hold jobs in the area. |
|
|
 |
| GU students visited this public library to hear more about how Villa El Salvador is facilitating education in the community. |
After learning about Villa El Salvador’s development, industry, and economy in lectures onboard, students took part in a three day exposure tour in which they visited the community and studied further the industrial development of the area and its environmental protection. Students were divided into two groups (the environmental group and the industrial group) based on their interests, and visited related areas of Villa El Salvador. Members of the environmental group focused on issues such as garbage, recycling, water purification, development of green areas, and conservation of important archeological sites in the area. Industrial group members met with a group of young entrepreneurs and spent the day exploring the many ways the people of Villa El Salvador are working to build their own businesses and develop local industry. |
| |
 |
| Residents of Villa El Salvador share their experiences with GU students. |
After returning from the Exposure Tour, students shared the results of their study and travel in a presentation to more than 150 interested Peace Boat participants. Kawasaki Akira, Peace Boat’s GU coordinator, introduced their work by discussing the idea of sustainability. “It’s not easy to define ‘sustainability’,” he told attendees. “In the case of sustainable development, it refers to the careful utilization of the environment and natural resources, so that future generations can also use them. ‘Sustainability’ also relates to the way of industry development. It’s often difficult to clearly define this term; GU students themselves had different definitions of ‘sustainability’.” |
| |
 |
| n their final presentation of Unit 3, students discuss possible future exchange programs with Villa El Salvador. |
The concept of sustainability was discussed related to Villa El Salvador, as well as students’ home countries, Japan and Korea. In order to achieve a sustainable society, whether in a developing country or a developed country, students agreed that the most important factors are knowledge and action. “We can change the environment with our own lifestyles.” Tomozoe Naoko told attendees. “The most important thing is to have knowledge. We need to get to know environmentally friendly corporations, participate in NGOs, and change our lifestyles. I know this is idealistic, but I believe we can all still do something.” Students encouraged everyone present, particularly those involved in the business world, to think about business and enterprise ethics in Japan. “By all of us doing this, we can create a vision for all of us to develop together alongside developing countries. This is necessary for society to be sustainable.”
*for further information about the development of Villa El Salvador, please see Peace Boat’s 48th voyage reports on Miguel Azcueta and Port of Call Callao, Peru.
For further information, please see the following links (Spanish only):
Villa El Salvador – www.munives.gob.pe/index2.htm
Centro de Estudios y Promocion del Desarrollo – www.desco.org.pe
Desco Programa Urbano – www.urbano.org.pe |
| |
|
|
|
