World Connection Project - Hong Kong Youths Meet Nature in Japan -

Abstract

One of the fundamental obstacles to achieving a sustainable society is the great difficulty in modern cities to appreciate and contribute to the well-being of the people and the environment that support our lives. As a part of World Connection Project, a group of two teachers and eight students in Hong Kong visited Toyota city in Japan in May 2016. They experienced authentic paper making, hand crafts, rice planting, etc. with the guidance from local masters in the authentic natural settings. The students’ reflection indicated that the experience inspired them to appreciate and contribute to the human and natural resources that support their lives. Qualitative analysis from the students' reflection confirmed a set of hypotheses based on the urge theory of emotion (Toda, 1981) about the kinds of authentic environment that facilitate emotions like curiosity, challenge, gratitude and contribution.