Junior
GCP (Global Challenge Program) "Action to Protect the Future from Bali".
Six junior high school students who participated in the GCP (Global Challenge Program) "Action to Protect the Future from Bali" visited Bali, Indonesia for four days from November 21 to 24. In this program, participants will actually visit places in Bali where activities are being carried out in consideration of environmental issues and think about what we can do now.
The place to stay is Mana Earthly Paradise. The hotel was built without cutting any new trees and is equipped with solar power and rainwater tanks, taking advantage of Bali's nature and resources. All meals served are also organic. The food is produced in the hotel's own fields and by local organic farmers.
The place to stay is Mana Earthly Paradise. The hotel was built without cutting any new trees and is equipped with solar power and rainwater tanks, taking advantage of Bali's nature and resources. All meals served are also organic. The food is produced in the hotel's own fields and by local organic farmers.
On the first day, we learned about the hotel's concept and eco-technology. We also learned about the social issues that are currently happening in Bali, as well as the fact that the social issues happening around the world are actually very much related to our own lifestyles, confirming the ultimate goal of this training program.
The second day was spent in Balinese traditional clothes with the theme of "learning about Balinese culture. Balinese people are deeply religious and believe that God dwells in every place, and there are statues of God and temples everywhere. We also visited Balinese people's homes and got to know how ordinary Balinese people live. I learned for the first time that each Balinese family has a temple in their house. In the morning, we learned that Balinese people value three things: harmony with God, harmony with nature, and harmony with people. In the afternoon, we went to Green School. Green School in Bali is known as the most eco-friendly school in the world and is an international school where children gather from all over the world. The school building and its interior are all made of eco-friendly bamboo, and the students produce their own electricity, drinking water, and food. We were also able to observe how all of nature is used as a teaching tool, and how the children are solving problems and developing by themselves. Seeing the various innovations in sustainability gave me an opportunity to think about what we can achieve in RItsumeikan Uji as well.
On the third day, we visited the R.O.L.E. Foundation, an organization that works with local people and the government to solve the problems of garbage and water in Bali, the shadow side of the tourist powerhouse. At the R.O.L.E Foundation, participants experienced tie-dyeing by upcycling discarded sheets, recycled soap piles from the resort hotel, and made recycled paper.
On the last day, we met with Mr. Tomohiro Hamakawa, the representative of Earth company, and then visited the Bumi Sehat Midwifery Center. Indonesia has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among ASEAN countries, but this midwifery center provides free maternity care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year so that even poor mothers can have a safe delivery. I had a chance to meet the founder of the midwifery center, Ms. Robin Lim.
During the trip, we saw students actively asking questions and exchanging opinions, doing their best to make the most of each hour of learning and encountering each other. We also saw them come out of their shells little by little through contact with Bali's great nature, interaction with the warm Balinese people, and cross-cultural understanding using all five senses. The common message we received from the people we met through this training program was that even 13-year-olds can change the world by working on their own. The students are eager to make use of what they have learned from this training after returning to Ritsumeikan Uji.