SDGs Design International Awards 2024

This awards program, led by the Kyushu University Faculty of Design, was launched in 2019 in order to serve as a catalyst for social change, in collaboration with the world, by rethinking anything that we take for granted. The program celebrated its 6th year in 2024. The theme for 2024 was designing the food culture of the future. I believe that this theme is necessary to continue to protect food and food culture, which are essential for life, and to ensure that everyone can easily access and experience food. We received a total of 201 applications from 98 universities and 15 high schools in 17 nations for the theme.

SDGs Design International Awards 2024 Japan Awards Ceremony and Social Implementation Committee

This awards ceremony and social implementation committee served as an opportunity to recognize excellent design ideas that contribute to the achievement of social development goals (SDGs), and to evaluate the impact that those winners and submissions have on society, and the feasibility thereof.

The Social Implementation Committee, comprised of students, researchers, and designers, aims to widely share excellent designs that contribute to solving the problems of future society. In the committee, educational institutions and companies cooperated to discuss specific methods and cooperative relationships to achieve the ideas. This process aims to open up new potential ways to achieve the SDGs and lead to actual action.

■ Time: Friday, December 6, 2024, 15:00-17:00
Location: Design Library, Ohashi Campus, Kyushu University
■ Program:
・Opening Remarks: Dean Akira Omoto
・About the SDGs Awards – Food Trends – SDGs Design Unit Lead, Zhang Yanfang　
・Food Education from a Variety of Perspectives – Associate Professor Yuki Morimoto, Media Design Department
・Food Diversity – Kyushu Shiawase Kyoso Lab (Kyushu Hakuhodo) lab director Osamu Soeda
・Announcement of the winners for Theme 1 　
・Explanation of the Helix Experience corporate award
・Announcements of the winners for the Helix Experience corporate award
・Discussion of future social implementation

The Social Implementation Committee served as a place to discuss specific ways to implement the excellent ideas awarded under the SDGs Design International Awards in society. It was an opportunity to deeply consider the issues facing companies and society and market trends, and explore potential collaboration to achieve a sustainable future. During those discussions, elements covered to increase the social meaning and market receptivity of the winning ideas included factors of interest to consumers, such as appealing the value of food ingredients and initiatives to protect nature. Rather than simply considering product commercialization, a vision was clarified leading to environmental conservation and solutions for society’s problems. Furthermore, by having companies, experts from educational institutions, and students gather together to exchange opinions, we built a foundation for accelerating the social implementation of the winning ideas by involving diverse perspectives. As an important step to go beyond the boundaries of the SDGs Design International Awards and bring about an impact for actual society, it was extremely meaningful that these discussions looked at the feasibility of the social solutions based around SDGs in detail and served as an opportunity to create new value for corporate activities.