Creativity in Harmony: Reflections from Asahikawa

Asahikawa, has left an indelible impression on all of us. We experienced the creativity of this city and its harmonious relationship with nature. The main industry in the city and region is forestry and furniture making. We could experience this first-hand at Conde House, among other places.

One of the most memorable moments was our visit to the Shinto-Shrine. The architecture of this shrine stands as a testament to the city's design heritage. During the visit, we experienced Japanese culture there, full of respect and harmony. It helped remind us of the importance of living in peace with each other and with our world.

This message echoes the foundation of UNESCO and the United Nations, organisations born out of the desire for peace after devastating conflicts of the past. The principle that peace must be constructed in people's minds remains just as important today.

The conference brought together a mix of exchanges of culture and design expertise. From participating in discussions on best practices to exploring innovative design companies. In this way, we developed a deeper understanding of Japan. With Designregio Kortrijk, we presented best practices such as Deep Dive, 5X5 & K-TOTEM.

We gained inspiration on inclusive design through the ‘Universal Design’ methodology from Seoul. We debated how to use the UNESCO Creative Cities Network to boost international trade. We also exchanged business models from design festival.

This conference was more than just a learning opportunity; it was a step towards promoting global collaborations through mutual respect and creativity.

This was summed up beautifully in the tree-planting activity. As we planted trees, we symbolised our commitment to a sustainable future, rooted in the values of design and nature that Asahikawa holds dear. These trees will grow, and perhaps fifty years from now, someone will be sitting on a chair made from the wood we planted together during this week.

Asahikawa took a true leadership role for UNESCO's design cities network. They presented their manifesto which states that we cannot do without nature and what role we can play as organisations, cities and businesses to live, live, work, etc. respectfully in our nature through design.

We thank the city of Asahikawa for welcoming us with utmost hospitality. The contacts we were able to make will lead to new collaborations, and we will gladly take the design declaration into our future strategy.

With thanks to the Flemish UNESCO Commission and Flanders Investment & Trade.

We danken de stad Asahikawa om ons met uiterste gastvrijheid te ontvangen. De contacten die we konden leggen zullen leiden tot nieuwe samenwerkingen, en de design declaration nemen we graag mee in onze toekomstige strategie.

Met dank aan de Vlaamse UNESCO Commissie en Flanders Investment & Trade.