Igu international Geographical Union

Statement of Intent
After serving the IGU as a Vice President for over five years with other devoted Executive Committee colleagues, I have come to have a strong conviction that IGU has been doing very well in its mission of promoting geography and thus serving the society. Therefore, if elected as President of the IGU, my basic role will be to keep IGU running its present course uninterrupted and to promote the on-going projects, such as IYGU, OurSus, and Journals project, as well as the objectives prescribed in the Statutes. I believe the following issues are of particular importance during 2016-2020.

1) Promotion of regional/national activities of geographers: Geographers are playing important roles in primary, secondary and higher education, planning, conservation, global change research, disaster prevention, etc. Their expertise can be used for the solution of global problems as well as local to regional problems. They can upgrade their work if they participate in IGU activities and enlarge their views, knowledge, experiences and personal and institutional relations. Unfortunately there are still many places where geography or IGU are not visible enough. One of the means to facilitate them is to encourage and support local/regional effort at different parts of the world, e.g. the international geographical conference held annually in India. I see it very important to support such regional/national initiatives worldwide.

2) Enhancement of geographers’ contribution to global change programmes such as Future Earth: Many geographers actively participated in such international global change programmes as IGBP (International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme) and IHDP (International Human Dimensions Programme), and IGU played important roles in it. Both IGBP and IHDP concluded their mission by the end of 2015, and many of their core projects are in the process of joining Future Earth, a new research/education framework initiated by ICSU, ISSC etc. I see Future Earth a true challenge and opportunity for the world geographers. My wide-ranging involvement in the activities related with it will help me guide and support that task.

3) Promotion of geographical and environmental education in association with IYGU: Geographical education, environmental education, and education for sustainable development (ESD) can be developed under the Future Earth framework and may become an essential part of it. IYGU (International Year of Global Understanding), which was initiated by IGU and jointly proclaimed by ICSU, ISSC and CIPSH on 14 September 2015, might play a crucial role in it. My deep involvement in it will help me promote this mission. The successful progress of the Geography Olympiad is another reminder of what IGU can do. Good practices should be promoted and improved by casting light on them, encouraging them, commending them, and assisting them. My long-time involvement in the “Asahikawa Environmental Map Contest” for young students will help me promote Geography Olympiad and other educational activities.