To broaden our students’ global perspectives, our school participated in the Geopark International Youth Forum from August 3rd to 8th, 2025. This enriching event was organized by the Muroto UNESCO Global Geopark.
During their visit to Cape Muroto, students had a unique opportunity to learn about the area’s geology and culture firsthand. The students observed the ongoing geological uplift, where the land rises a few centimeters annually due to large earthquakes. This provided a tangible example of the powerful natural forces shaping the Earth. This experience, combined with sharing their own geopark and cultural backgrounds, allowed the students to see how the unique environment of Muroto has influenced its people and history, and encouraged them to share similar connections from their own communities. This direct, on-site learning was key to promoting the forum’s aim of bridging global and domestic geopark networks.
Participants were given the opportunity to share their personal connection to geoparks.They shared their past experiences with geopark activities, the lessons and personal growth they gained, and their future aspirations. Following the speeches, participants joined group discussions. These groups were uniquely structured to include not only high school students but also adults, which facilitated a valuable intergenerational exchange of ideas and perspectives.
Besides, participants took part in a tsunami evacuation drill and visited a unique tsunami evacuation shelter, a facility found only in Muroto. This hands-on experience gave them a direct understanding of disaster preparedness in a geologically active region.
To conclude, the forum’s theme, “Let’s be a Geocal Player!”, captured its core message. The youth at the forum embodied this spirit by sharing their dreams and disaster prevention measures for their hometowns. This activity encouraged them to think about their local communities in a global context and empowered them to act as leaders in their own regions.
Sharing from 4C Sofia Sit:
After visiting the tsunami tower, we went to the tsunami shelter nearby. We were all curious about the big green poles outside of the shelter, which turned out to be a barrier for large debris brought by tsunami waves. Inside the shelter, there was a screen connected to a camera for those inside the shelter to observe the situation outside. The shelter was well air-conditioned with tatami mats and a toilet. Compared to the tsunami tower, the shelter took up more space but was more accessible to the elderly or disabled as it did not require climbing up to higher ground. We were all really impressed by how well prepared the Japanese were for tsunamis and the fact that they had different types of shelters for different age groups.
