About the Platform

The Japanese National Commission for UNESCO (JNCU) compiled a proposal on the policy for UNESCO’s activities in Japan following the deliberations at the 145th General Assembly of the JNCU on September 12, 2019. This proposal and its recommendations aim to further activate UNESCO-related activities in Japan in order that Japan, a leading solution provider, to play a proactive role for the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the international society, where globalisation and technological innovation are also rapidly advancing. JNCU recommends measures for vitalising UNESCO-related activities, focusing on the following areas, with the collaboration between the Government and relevant parties:

1. Maintaining the leading role in the promotion of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) leading to the achievement of the SDGs
2. Promoting activities for the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
3. Contributing to UNESCO reforms for the promotion of mutual understanding and friendship among member countries
4. Advancing regional revitalisation and the building of multicultural inclusive societies utilising the merits of UNESCO’s activities
5. Building of a strategic platform for deepening collaboration among various stakeholders

As part of efforts to create a platform to facilitate collaboration between various UNESCO stakeholders, the UNESCO Future Co-Creation Platform project, funded by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), was launched in April 2020. Since 2022, the project has been managed by the Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU), which is based in Tokyo, Japan. ACCU is a non-profit organization that primarily engages in projects and activities related to education, the development of human resources, and efforts to foster cultural understanding, so as to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society in Asia and beyond.

UNESCO’s activities involve a wide range of sectors comprising education, science, culture, and communication and information. These activities are conducted by a variety of actors including the governments of member states, local governments, NGOs and NPOs, research institutions, and the private sector. The UNESCO Future Co-Creation Platform project thereby aims to promote collaborations between different UNESCO activities/initiatives and strategically disseminate the results of these activities both domestically and internationally. Further, the project seeks to contribute to the realisation of a sustainable society through encouraging cooperation between various organisations working to achieve the SDGs.

The project’s initiatives and activities are primarily shaped and determined by an appointed working group.

Each working group organization plays a fundamental role in establishing and strengthening networks at the local and national levels while providing invaluable support to the secretariat. In addition to official meetings, the working group regularly liaises with the secretariat in ACCU to ensure that the project runs smoothly.

The working group comprises the following:

• National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan (NFUAJ)
• Secretariat for UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) in Japan (within ACCU)
• Japanese Geoparks Network (JGN)
• Nature Conservation Society of Japan (NACS-J)
• International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (IRCI)
• Youth Committee of the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO

For more information on each member of the working group, refer to the following page.