On September 5th (Saturday) and 6th (Sunday), the Hokkaido Children and Youth Support Association (Chairman: Yoshihiro Yamaya), Hokkaido Prefecture, and the National Youth Education Promotion Organization held the "60th Anniversary Commemorative Event: Hokkaido Children and Youth Support Commemorative Conference ('Youth's Assertions' All-Hokkaido Conference)."

This conference was held with the aim of deepening understanding of the issues surrounding children and young people, while listening to the voices of children, by honoring those who have made significant contributions to supporting children and young people in their communities, holding commemorative lectures and the Hokkaido-wide "Youth Speech" competition, and promoting further support activities in the community and fostering momentum to support the healthy growth of children and young people in Hokkaido.

Vice President Yokota gave a lecture on the theme of "Hokkaido University's 150th Anniversary and the SDGs."

At the commemorative lecture of this conference, Professor Atsushi Yokota, Vice President of Hokkaido University, took the stage and delivered a lecture entitled "Hokkaido University's 150th Anniversary and the SDGs: Aiming for Further Improvement of Social Impact." In his lecture, he looked back on the history of Hokkaido University as it approaches its 150th anniversary, and introduced its initiatives in education, research, and social collaboration based on the pursuit of sustainability.

Vice President Yokota introduced the high rankings Hokkaido University has received in the "THE Sustainability Impact Rating 2026," which evaluates universities' contributions to society. He ranked 7th globally overall and 1st in Japan for the seventh consecutive year. Furthermore, he explained that by enhancing the sense of unity throughout the organization and improving the overall strength of the university, it is possible to further enhance the university's social impact by strengthening its problem-solving capabilities and increasing empathy and trust from society.

The organizers expressed their gratitude, stating, "Your valuable talk, which clarified the history of your university's development in conjunction with its 150th anniversary and the importance of incorporating the framework of the SDGs while leveraging the unique characteristics of the university, and permeating the concepts of sustainability and the SDGs throughout the university, provided many insights and a deep impression to the participants." They also added, "In the participant survey, many commented that they were particularly impressed by the lecture, which offered insights not usually available, especially regarding the history of Hokkaido University, its current activities, and the daily efforts toward organizational unity. It was very well received."

This lecture provided a valuable opportunity to consider the role of universities in realizing a sustainable society and the creation of social value through collaboration with local communities. Participants deepened their understanding of Hokkaido University's initiatives and gained a renewed awareness of the importance of supporting children and young people in the region.

Vice President Yokota giving a speech

The venue