"Let's Think About SDGs! Eco Activity Awareness Poster and Senryu Contest" Held

2026.01.07

The annual "Let's Think About SDGs! Eco Activity Awareness Poster and Senryu¹ Contest," targeting the students at Gifu University Faculty of Education Affiliated Compulsory School System (Elementary-Junior High), was held again this year.

Based on the "Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Conservation Collaboration" signed between Gifu University and the Juroku Bank Ltd., this contest aims to encourage eco‑friendly activities from familiar, everyday perspectives--such as saving energy, beautifying the environment, and reducing waste--while thinking about the SDGs.

This year marked the 15th round of the poster division, and the second round of the senryu division, which was newly created last year. After strict screening, one work for each category was selected for the Grand Prize, Excellence Award, and the Juroku Financial Group Award.

On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, the award ceremony was held at Gifu University. During the ceremony, President YOSHIDA Kazuhiro of Gifu University presented award certificates to each winning student, and Executive Officer KUNISHIMA Masato of Juroku Bank handed out the secondary prizes.

President Yoshida commented:"Through the thoughts expressed in your works, I was reminded once again of the importance of environmental issues. I hope that your commitment to the SDGs does not end here--take action, make use of your ideas for the future, and continue to grow."

Executive Officer Kunishima offered the following words: "Each award‑winning work was carefully thought out from each student's own perspective, and some expressions were things we adults would never have come up with. The SDGs are a large, expansive theme, but the awareness and actions of each individual will help protect the environment of our entire community. Let's turn our interest and passion into action."

Furthermore, Principal NISHINO Mika of the School System commented: "From the winning works, we can see that students are proactively learning and thinking about environmental issues not only at school but also at home and in their daily lives. Students research and think on their own. We hope to continue connecting school learning with real‑world issues and foster students' awareness of participating in society while working together with the community."

Ms. MIZUSAKI Niko, a 3rd‑grade student who won the Grand Prize in the senryu division, said, "I created this senryu piece because I want to protect the environment so both fish and people can smile."

Ms. TAKAI Nonoka, a 7th‑grade student who won the Grand Prize in the poster division, commented, "I practice a technique called a 'block' in my junior‑high volleyball club. I connected that technique with the idea of blocking global environmental problems and created the poster with the hope of solving the issues happening now."

The winning works were displayed in the University library, where many visitors--including members of the local community--viewed them. They are scheduled to be exhibited at Juroku Bank's Kano Branch from January 7 (Wed.) to 20 (Tue.), 2026, and at the Ginan Branch from January 21 (Wed.) to February 3 (Tue.), 2026.

We hope this initiative will inspire people to think about the environment and help expand eco‑friendly activities.

1) a short Japanese poem with 17 syllables, arranged in a 5-7-5 pattern.