Professor Edgar Pieterse
On August 9, Sophia University hosted a symposium featuring keynote speech "Engaging Africa's Urban Development" by Professor Edgar Pieterse, Director of African Centre for Cities at University of Cape Town. Embassy officials from African countries and many students attended the symposium to listen to the discussion of vital questions relating to social problems in Africa and strategy needed to stimulate sustainable economic growth in Africa.
Professor Pieterse is a widely known authority on the subject of Africa’s urbanization. His keynote address emphasized that rapid industrialization has created grave new tensions in Africa by increasing the flow of population into the cities, widening the gap between rich and poor，polluting the environment, and upsetting social order in the towns. Professor Pieterse tried to convince the audience by presenting a case for his overriding concerns that the laws need to be changed and that long range strategic plans need to be worked out.
The symposium then advanced to the next program in which Mr. Gary Kendall, Director of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership, University of Cambridge Cape Town Office, gave his speech "Sustainability Principles and Frameworks." Professor Motoki Takahashi of Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies at Kobe University, Mr. Ryuichi Kato, Deputy Director General of Africa Department at JICA, and Associate Professor Ruri Abe of Faculty of Humanities at Sophia University, also gave their report on urbanization issues.
In the panel discussion that followed, Professor Masatoshi Kisaichi in the Faculty of Foreign Studies at Sophia University joined the platform party as a panelist; and Mr. Atsufumi Yokoi, Visiting International Researcher at African Centre for Cities at University of Cape Town guided the panel as a moderator. The panelists discussed programs of assistance that can best serve the interest of African people and made proposals with a view to improving their public services and security measures.
The symposium closed with a promise of a better future for Africa.
