On 3 September 2025, IRCI held the first working group meeting as a part of its Preliminary Research on Intangible Cultural Heritage and Ecosystems project. Dr Kenji Kitamura, Associate Professor at Otemon Gakuin University, was invited as the guest speaker and gave a presentation titled ‘Satoyama–Satoumi* Conservation and Community Engagement: Insights from the Noto Region in Japan’.

The meeting included discussions on research trends related to satoyama–satoumi landscapes, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BR), and Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), as well as collaborative approach with local communities. Participants also explored action research and participatory evaluation methods. The meeting reaffirmed the importance of building frameworks that balance diverse interests for sustainable environmental conservation, and offered new perspectives on the role of ICH in supporting ecological sustainability.

IRCI will continue to hold working group meetings, inviting experts engaged in related research to the project.

  *Satoyama–satoumi is a combined word of ‘satoyama’ and ‘satoumi’. ‘Sato’ means where people live, ‘yama’ is mountain and forests including farmlands, and ‘umi’, ocean and coastal areas. Satoyama–satoumi is a socio-ecological system and landscape displaying people’s connection with nearby environment as an important source of local livelihoods.

The first working group meeting at IRCI on 3 September 2025