Our university and Okayama City concluded the “Community Partnership Agreement in relation to Community Development” on October 8th to advance civic collaboration community development. The objective is to advance community development centered on the Nishigawa Ryokudo Park Neighborhood by creating opportunities for casual participation in community development by university students and community residents through the working together of the university and the city.

The signing ceremony was held at the University Library Learning Commons and approximately 30 people including President Kiyoshi Morita, Mayor Masao Omori, university faculty, and students attended. President Morita greeted everyone by saying, “I want to create a dynamic community by utilizing the power of the students and the knowledge of the faculty,” and Mayor Omori greeted everyone with, “Community development requires the contribution of wisdom from all generations. I want to develop Okayama by working together with the university.”

Our university established the “Nishigawa Agora” on the 2nd floor of the Date Bldg. (1 Tamachi, Kita-ku Okayams-shi) along the Nishigawa Ryokudo Park as the base of operations for community development on October 20th. By working in cooperation with Okayama City’s Nishigawa Performer Project, we will conduct a community development history and circumstances investigation, interview investigation, etc. Moreover, we will utilize the place for study meetings relevant to community development and for workshops.