Sustaining Sustainability
Life is long, yet life is short.
Temporariness is key of life, nature, and Haiko too.
To sustain it is to understand that just because its previous life has temporarily ended, does not mean its upcoming hope will never arrive.
Everything in life changes within time, that is why life is beautiful.
Thank you. Never did in my life I imagine I would have a chance to be back here again. It was April 21st, 2017 at The 2nd Yamaguchi's Haiko Revitalization Summit, in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. This Summit is to revitalize the Haikos, with the hope it can be a meeting point for many hopes. Haiko ( 廃校 ) is a Japanese term for closed schools phenomenon due to the declining birthrate and aging society in Japan. Yamaguchi is only one of many prefectures in Japan that has Haiko all over. Up to this moment when I am typing this, there are approximately 6.000 Haikos all over this country.
The Haiko Summit consisted of 2 major sections.
The first session is the General Meeting, in which the member talk about the progress and the future ideas upon the revitalization of Haikos in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Haiko Summit consists of some member which are mostly from each Haiko representatives in the prefecture, some designers and volunteers. This General Meeting will also decide the schedule and location for the next summit. The 3rd Haiko Revitalization Summit will be held in Omijima, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in summer time, next year. Haiko Summit also has exhibition. It consists of the previous and the upcoming activities done by each Haiko in Yamaguchi Prefecture. There are posters, brochures and information boards about Haiko.
The second session is the Open Discussion, in which the Summit has other speakers invited from various backgrounds, yet from the same passion, revitalizing Haiko. This time, the summit was attended by The Major of Iwakuni City namely Mr. Fukuda, a Countryside-lifestyle activist from Hiroshima namely Mr. Wada and myself as a previous design research internee in sustaining Haiko. Mr. Fukuda sees Haiko from a governmental point of view. Mr. Wada shared his point of view upon how Haiko can be a point for people to return to a countryside-lifestyle. As an open discussion, this forum welcomes everyone. Many people attended, such as local people, including hotel owner, some lecturers, even from international sectors such as foreign students and designer. Basically, whoever you are, you can take your part in sustaining the conversation for Haiko.
The result of my internship research last year with open house inc. has been compiled into a book named "Haiko, Nia's Suggestion". This book is filled with series of ideas upon how Haiko in villages may be a point to remind people of humanity, to connects everything into nature, and to sustain Japan again as a nation. As a designer, I provide some sketches and ideas based on design thinking methodology. Locals may see Haiko as a common phenomenon, but as a foreigner, I see Haiko as a place of hope. This book is a bilingual book, English and Japanese, with the aim to be both locally and internationally read, and thus to be both locally and internationally connect people. In the future, when the initial cost is covered, this book will share its profit for the development of Haiko, especially those in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Thank you for having me last year and last month, for always sharing good experiences and good hopes. I am looking forward to see you all again soon, Haiko Summit. ありがとうございます !
Feel free to contact and collaborate with them at this link. And check some reports and photos of the summit by Homei.
