NEWS

On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 of September 2009, seven members of the APU student circle Long Stay Beppu (LSB) participated in the "Regional Redevelopment Summit for University Student Organisations" held in Kyoto Prefecture and met with nine organisations involved domestic regional redevelopment.
Held for the first time, this student summit was made possible through the invitation from the Ritsumeikan University "Tango Muraokoshi Kaihatsu Team" which is involved in the restoration of Japanese thatched roofs. Approximately 50 students from 10 universities participated including Hokkaido University, Waseda University, Ritsumeikan University and APU. The groups engaged in an exchange of opinions based on the knowledge and success they gained through their circle activities.

The eight groups presented the results of their activities and held discussions across two sites and talked about issues surrounding their regional activation initiatives such as "the kind of regional redevelopment we should aim for", and "how the authorities, industry and student organisations should cooperate to carry out their activities. The summit was successfully brought to an end with a conclusion and "Cooperation Declaration". At the conclusion of the summit, a finale "Satoyama Music Festival" was held at and the participants enjoyed performances by university bands and professional musicians.

Looking back on the Summit, LSB Representative HATAZOE Airi (APS3, Japan), gave his impressions, "Meeting and discussing with Tango Muraokoshi Kaihatsu Team and other university students with our mutual goal of regional redevelopment, has greatly inspired us. I hope to put to good use the knowledge gained at this summit in our future circle activities."

LSB's central activity is its "Holiday House Project". In cooperation with local community residents, LSB has refurbished an empty old house in to a holiday home to provide for a new style of long-term tourism. LSB and the "Tango Muraokoshi Kaihatsu Team" have previously held joint training camps and discussion meetings.

APU and Ritsumeikan University (RU) have been promoting exchange events between the two universities in the interests of mutual understanding and exchange. We will continue to promote inter-student exchange events such as joint training camps, mutual participation in campus festivals and academic exchange.

Please click here for the LSB homepage: http://www.longstaybeppu.net