IGES held the Kitakyushu SDGs Training 2025 from August 25 to September 5. 15 students with 8 nationalities studying at universities across Japan joined the training. The theme for this year was “Synergy.”
Participants visited companies working in three key areas— zero-carbon, circular economy, and nature positive—and learned about good practices. Further, the participants also actively inquired about their challenges and developed quick solution ideas from synergetic and international perspectives and young flexible minds. At the end, the participants presented their thoughts and ideas, and invited companies were truly impressed and inspired by the presentation!
Here’s reflecting words of some participants!
★This two-week intensive SDGs training greatly enhanced my understanding of global sustainability concepts. I gained clear insights into what Zero Carbon, Nature Positive, and Circular Economy truly mean, and more importantly, how they interconnect and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The training helped me move beyond theory by exploring their practical role in shaping policies, projects, and daily practices for a more sustainable future.
★I really enjoyed the training as it really focusing on synergy, how everything is related. Visiting a lot of companies really broaden up my vision and enhance my interest on local initiative on environmental issues. I also meet a lot of people with different expertise and able to share knowledge with each other, the participants, past participant, lecturers, and the event organizer. I am really thankful for this opportunity.
★It amazes me how companies sit down and discuss with freshers. With all the things they’ve been through in the market, students are just a bunch of daydreaming idealists who had no idea how to even write a letter, but they still listen to and eagerly answer all the questions. That ability really differentiate themselves from others, because at some points, surrounded by endless daily tasks and meetings, you really need to take a step back and look where you are, and that’s when some crazy ideas from a bunch of energetic idiots would inspire some great business solutions.
The second thing I learnt is how IGES design this training course. It is a two-way training, which benefits, and of course, motivates both sides – the business and the trainees, to contribute and constructively discuss with each other.
★I have gained valuable insights from the ground level, especially about the importance of protecting our environment. I learned how we can create a viable environment, society, and community while also supporting industrial development, by aligning our efforts with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
★From this training, I broadened my knowledge about the production process in different companies and how they can connect with each other in terms of environmental initiatives, which cannot be achieved by one company alone. The concepts of zero carbon, nature positive, and circular economy are interconnected and require collaboration to reach the goals. In addition, the presentation at the end of the session helped me improve my problem-solving and teamwork skills, as well as my ability to analyze information I gathered throughout the week.
★It’s very enlighting to experience the practical on ground efforts by Kitakyushu city and established corporate sector. Especially the positivity driven efforts by all stakeholders to transform the system slowly but definitely towards achieving SDGs.
★Exposure to coordinated city level efforts to achieve SDGs and how industry, citizens and government come together for this. I learnt how innovation, technology, nature and people can coexist and overcome adversity from the story of Kitakyushu. I liked how some companies (eg. Hops, Biotope..) engage and benefit citizens going beyond their economic stimulus. I want to bring this story of sustainable coexistence and coevolution to other regions and empower their people to work towards sustainability.
★I personally liked the Hibikinada Biotope the most as it demonstrated how a landfill can become a rich and nature-diverse place and it works as an oasis in a Hibikinada industrial area. The visit to Biotope allowed me to see the great outcome for promoting the idea of circular economy and nature-positives as the ecosystem was created on a waste landfill and I believe it should be implemented into other municipalities in Japan.
★Furthermore, we also gave a presentation on the last day for each facility and suggested the solutions that we came up with. This was really demanding because it required us to critically analyze the problem of the facilities and think of improvements in a short period of time. Throughout the teamwork and after listening to different groups presentations, we realized that every facility has improvements and made me understand that to achieve sustainability, the effort of constant innovation is required.
★I attended many sessions and experienced something meaningful every day. My major is not environmental studies, but I learned that many companies and public agencies are making efforts to build an eco-friendly society. In my opinion, these efforts are very important, but they are not yet widely recognized in consumer society, so we need to spread awareness. It may be a small step, but I also want to choose environmentally friendly options in my own life, and I will try to help my family and friends understand the importance of making such choices. Although I am not thinking about starting my own business at this moment, I want to keep in mind that this could be a great business opportunity in the future.
The biggest lesson I took away from this experience is that nature relies on us, it needs all our efforts combined, and it requires people to carefully manage resources and supply chains. Even companies trying to be eco-friendly face their own challenges, and the only way to truly protect nature is to cooperate and solve problems together. Visiting so many companies and everyone actively asking questions made me realize these challenges, and I saw how finding solutions together can help them move toward making their products and services zero carbon, nature positive, and part of a circular economy.
Other meaningful things for me was the sense of community I felt throughout this journey it’s so cozy and enjoyable. We learned a lot during day times then had fun with sports and talking during night time. When I built my Lego project, I imagined it as a time machine, like IGES taking not just me, but all fifteen of us, to different places where our curiosity and questions led us to so much new knowledge. In the end, I realized that what we learned wasn’t just for us, it was a gift we could take back to help those companies too, just as they shared their experiences with us.
I also made a port in Lego, which for me means that even after we all go our separate ways, we’re carrying these gifts from our time together and we can use them to create new projects and do good things for the future. Personally, I want to be an engineer who builds solutions that care deeply about zero carbon, nature positive, and circular economy ideals everything I’ve learned here will stay with me as I move forward, and I’ll keep looking back at this journey as my very first important step. I am already missing these moments hope to see everyone again!
