Osaka Hub has started "Permanent Festival," promoting two main projects for a positive change, aiming to solve global-scale issues which lie in our towns and cities. 

1) Future Diversity

Osaka has a strong passion to articulate "Future Diversity." Kansai region is still suffering from serious gender and other issues, which treat minorities unfairly in Japanese society. Especially girls and women, even our shapers, have experienced a hardship in home, school and workplace - at every stage of life. Therefore, we collaborate with young leaders to open a dialogue. One of our events successfully clarified a "previlege" that we cannot see but actually have, that helped us realize a potential minority and make a picture of the diversity we would cherish. 

2) Shape New World

Osaka helds the Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, where Global Shapers are welcomed to present their voices and initiatives in 8-day theme week, with a strong message towards our future and post SDGs. In order to prepare for the very timing, "Shape New World Project(SNW)" conducts a unique research with shapers and experts in a wide range of studies. Establishing a special partnership with stakeholders, Osaka has been planning and working for an educatioin programme and symposium to shape new world, disussing the ongoing and foreseening issues we would face. 

Osaka expects to welcome shapers from other hubs to this Kansai region to find, discuss and appreciate attractive contents here with our locals. Join our Festival, and find what is not on your smartphone!  

Yumi Kobayashi