UNAIR NEWS During nine days in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, students of BBK 7 International 51动漫 () explored disaster preparedness practices while participating in various sustainability activities. The experience became a cross-cultural learning space that was not only academic but also practical in the field.
The students carried out two volunteering activities focusing on household and community resilience. Group 1A examined the readiness of homeowners in facing natural disasters, including preparedness of equipment and mental readiness. Disaster education in Japan is known to be introduced from an early age. Even furniture locking systems are designed to reduce risks during earthquakes.
Talitha Azzahra Komara explained that preparedness does not always mean being free from fear. She believes that this exchange of knowledge can become valuable learning for Indonesia in strengthening family-based disaster preparedness. 淓ven though some houses already have complete protection, anxiety still exists when imagining a major disaster, she said.
Students also discovered a child education method through picture story shows, which introduce disasters using non-frightening illustrations. This approach is considered effective in building awareness without causing early trauma. The model opens opportunities for adaptation in disaster education in Indonesia.
Community ties
Meanwhile, Group 1B raised the theme of community ties in the post-disaster recovery process. Yasmin Nur A stated that the team wanted to observe how communities function in a society often perceived as individualistic. The observation showed that community spaces still play an important role during disasters.
淓ven though relationships between neighbors are not very close, they still need each other during emergencies, she explained. She added that community halls provided by the government can be managed by older generations to become meeting points for collaboration with younger residents to strengthen social solidarity. These findings show that disaster resilience is built not only through systems but also through social relationships.
Pine needle collection
Besides focusing on disaster issues, the students also contributed to environmental preservation through a pine needle collection activity at Miho no Matsubara. Fallen pine needles are used to maintain soil moisture and suppress weed growth to support forest ecosystem sustainability. The activity became a simple but meaningful environmental action.
The students were also involved in translation support activities with elderly tour guides who were on duty. In this activity, the students joined a tour and were introduced to Japanese culture through three main locations: a government building, Sunpu Castle, and a matcha experience session.
The students role was to help the tour guides practice and develop their guiding skills, especially in cross-language communication. At the end of the session, the students were asked to give feedback and evaluation so the guides could improve their delivery quality.
This activity not only strengthened intercultural communication skills but also became part of cultural diplomacy that encourages mutual understanding between Indonesia and Japan.
All of these activities support the achievement of SDGs 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), SDGs 4 (Quality Education), SDGs 15 (Life on Land), and SDGs 13 (Climate Action). More than just an international program, the experience in Shizuoka became a real reflection of how young generations can learn, contribute, and build resilience together across countries.
Author: Rizma Elyza
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
