Special Symposium Co-Organized by UNDP and Hitotsubashi University

On December 17, 2024, Hitotsubashi University hosted a special symposium featuring Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The event was co-organized by the UNDP, the Graduate School of Law, and the Institute for Global Governance Research (GGR), with sponsorship from Josuikai, Hitotsubashi University’s alumni organization. The symposium took place at Josui Kaikan and attracted over 200 participants, including students, faculty members, and professionals, both in person and online.

 

The event was themed “6 Years to Go: Dialogue with the UNDP Administrator on Innovative Approaches for a Sustainable Future,” and it featured a lecture by Mr. Steiner, followed by a discussion session with Sumie Nakaya, a lecturer at the Mori Arinori Institute for Higher Education and Global Mobility. With just six years remaining until the 2030 deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the world is grappling with interconnected crises, including climate change, pandemics, food insecurity, and geopolitical tensions. Against this backdrop, the session explored the UNDP’s initiatives and the anticipated role of Japan in addressing these challenges. The dialogue culminated in engaging questions and answers, in which students posed numerous questions and actively interacted with Mr. Steiner.

 

This symposium underscores Hitotsubashi University’s commitment to strengthening its collaboration with UNDP and contributing to the realization of the SDGs.

 

Click here to watch the video of symposium.