Event Report: An evening on Fukushima
2019/3/14
On February 27th, as part of the Japan – UK season of Culture 2019-2020, Robert Gordons University, in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, held an informative evening at the University of Edinburgh, dedicated to learning about the progress of Fukushima’s environmental recovery.
The event began with an opening introduction from the University of Edinburgh’s Professor Aaron Moore; followed by a lecture from Dr Leslie Mabon of Robert Gordon University, who shared his ongoing research into the regeneration of Fukushima’s coastal communities following the 2011 disasters. Dr Mabon began by giving a sense of scale of the initially affected areas and introduced the wider Fukushima Prefecture—Japans third largest prefecture. Dr Mabon also discussed innovative new ways the affected areas are promoting recovery, through community-based projects, tourism and redevelopment.
Following the lecture, filmmaker and director Ms Toko Shiiki gave a short introduction to her own personal experiences in Fukushima, and how her opinions had changed over the course of meeting residents in the areas affected by the disaster.
Ms Shiiki then screened two short documentaries “Passing the Baton” and “Over the Sky”, that reflect the Fukushima’s recovery within the worlds of Sake brewing and music.
After the event a small reception was held, where guests were able to sample the all organic sake featured within “Passing the Baton”, while asking the guest speakers about their respected fields.
The event began with an opening introduction from the University of Edinburgh’s Professor Aaron Moore; followed by a lecture from Dr Leslie Mabon of Robert Gordon University, who shared his ongoing research into the regeneration of Fukushima’s coastal communities following the 2011 disasters. Dr Mabon began by giving a sense of scale of the initially affected areas and introduced the wider Fukushima Prefecture—Japans third largest prefecture. Dr Mabon also discussed innovative new ways the affected areas are promoting recovery, through community-based projects, tourism and redevelopment.
Following the lecture, filmmaker and director Ms Toko Shiiki gave a short introduction to her own personal experiences in Fukushima, and how her opinions had changed over the course of meeting residents in the areas affected by the disaster.
Ms Shiiki then screened two short documentaries “Passing the Baton” and “Over the Sky”, that reflect the Fukushima’s recovery within the worlds of Sake brewing and music.
After the event a small reception was held, where guests were able to sample the all organic sake featured within “Passing the Baton”, while asking the guest speakers about their respected fields.