OU Expo Talk and Panel Session #5 – “The Future that the Inochi Forum and Young People Envision (Part 3) – Is it Possible to Design a Future Free of Conflict and Division?”

The 5th OU Expo Talk and Panel Session, an event to talk about Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, was held at Sigma Hall in the Graduate School of Engineering Science on Osaka University’s Toyonaka Campus on May 2, 2024. Co-hosted by the Osaka University Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition Promotion Office and the Inochi [Life] Forum, this event attracted some 120 in-person attendees and some 80 virtual attendees.

Held each year during the Icho Festival in the spring and the Machikane Festival in the fall, the topic for this event was “The Future that the Inochi Forum and Young People Envision (Part 3) – Is it Possible to Design a Future Free of Conflict and Division?”

First, FUJIMOTO Sou (architect and Expo Site Design Producer) spoke on the intentions behind his venue design. For the enormous wooden Grand Roof (Ring) that he had designed as a symbol of the site, he said, “I arrived at the idea of a ring when considering the element that connects diversity in this divided world. As the venue is surrounded by the sea, visitors can overlook the whole site from various points on top of the Ring.”

Comparing the Ring with the Great Roof, the symbol of Expo ’70, he also showed the design elements shared between the two expositions, namely the concept of ‘connection’ expressed by their respective pieces cut out from the sky.

The audience listening to the lecture by Mr. Fujimoto

The transition from 1970 to 2025

Following this, pitches were given by students and student groups, with YOSHIKAWA Kaoru (a-tune, Osaka University), KOMORI Yuto (Kumihimo, Osaka Metropolitan University), FUKUMOTO Yuta (OLEA, Doshisha University), ISHIKAWA Yuto (Graduate School of Humanities, Osaka University), and TSUTSUMI Tomoko (V-station, Osaka Metropolitan University) delivering overviews of their activities and their prospects for the future.

Then, presided over by Ms. OGAWA Mayu, the master of ceremonies, a panel discussion was held. In addition to the foregoing individuals, AKEHANA Misa (a-tune, Osaka University), Alawik Abdourrahman (Kyoto University student and Lebanon native), DOME Takuo (Director/Member of Steering Committee, Social Solution Initiative, Osaka University) joined it as panelists and discussed “What causes conflict and division” and “What should be done to overcome them.”

Mr. Fujimoto made a proposal, saying, “a-tune should hold a performance on top of the Ring to promote diversity and unity.”

Myaku-Myaku, the official mascot character of Expo 2025, and Dr. Wani, Osaka University’s official mascot character, were also in attendance to liven up the event. Participants enjoyed taking photos together with the mascots during a break.

A video for each program will be uploaded to the Osaka University x SDGs website at a later date.

The presenters with Dr. Wani (far right) and Myaku-Myaku (center)

President NISHIO Shojiro (center) with Dr. Wani and Myaku-Myaku