One Month to Go | The Role of Local Officials and Civil Society in an 'Age of Fragmentation' — Efa Japan 20th Anniversary Symposium

Certified NPO Efa Japan (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) will host the symposium 'Entrusting International Cooperation to the Future: Efa Japan’s 20-Year Journey and Questions for the Next Decade' on Saturday, June 20, 2026. Registration for both in-person attendance and on-demand viewing is now open.

The symposium will address how local government officials, civil society, NPOs, and international cooperation organizations can collaborate to rebuild the 'public' sphere that connects local communities with the world amidst growing social fragmentation and exclusionary rhetoric. Local governments face increasingly complex challenges, such as disaster response and support for residents with foreign roots. The event explores practical ways for public sector frontline workers to collaborate with citizen groups.

Since its establishment in 2004, Efa Japan has focused on educational support for children in Asia (Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam) while expanding into domestic disaster relief and multicultural symbiosis. This symposium reflects on its 20-year history and discusses the intersections between local society and international cooperation.

[Program] - Keynote: Michio Ito (Advisor, Efa Japan) on the current state and future expectations of community-based international cooperation. - Cross-talk: Motomu Kinoshita (Chairperson, Efa Japan) and Noriyuki Goto (Nishitokyo City official) on the possibilities of collaboration between civil society and public services. - Moderator: Arisa Ota (Director, Efa Japan)