On Thursday, December 18th, a special lecture was held in the "Special Lecture A" taught by Professor Tsuyoshi Suematsu of Faculty of Collaborative Regional Development, featuring a guest lecturer from the Fukuoka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
First, the staff member introduced the origins and role of the Fukuoka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and its wide range of activities, including management support, industrial promotion, regional development, and policy recommendations. He explained the importance of fostering local pride among citizens and creating an appealing city that will attract visitors, including inbound tourists. He also spoke about the significance of city development led by citizens themselves, and in particular the importance of incorporating the opinions of young people, who will be the leaders of the future, into policy measures.
Next, there was an introduction to the efforts of the "Fukufuku Kon" (Fukuoka Castle Tower Restoration and Maintenance Forum), which is run by the same organization, and a detailed explanation was given of the historical significance of Japanese castles and towers, examples of tower restoration in areas designated as national historic sites, and the system of national cultural property administration.
In the second half of the program, the students were divided into three groups and created mind maps based on the theme of "Fukuoka's Future City, Where the Castle Tower Lives." They engaged in lively discussions about how to utilize Fukuoka Castle as a tourist resource and how to realize citizen-participation in urban development, and gave presentations using their own original ideas about revitalizing the local economy through tourism, education, and culture policies.
Finally, the staff member gave the following message: "Use this experience as an opportunity to imagine your own town, and spend your university life with a perspective that creates excitement, thinking about the impact that landmarks have on town development."
[Faculty of Collaborative Regional Development]
