20 December 2023

‘Flush Out the Difference’ ASEAN and Japanese Students Reimagined Public Sanitation and the Future Free of Communicable Diseases in the Japan-ASEAN Online Program Towards SDGs

Ninnart Ratanasukhon

AUN Programme Officer;

The Japan-ASEAN Online Program Towards SDGs was held from 12-15 December 2023 by Nagasaki University and Okayama University in collaboration with the AUN Secretariat, with 50 students from ASEAN universities and 10 students from Japanese universities in attendance. Set under the title ‘Flush Out the Differences: A Cross-Cultural Workshop on Toilets and Sanitation,’ the program took the students on a cross-cultural exploration of how each culture perceives and discusses the topics of ‘excretion’ and ‘toilet,’ both an integral part to society’s public hygiene, sanitation, and well-being. Students were then invited to explore and reimagine the concept and the structure behind public sanitation for a future free of communicable and water-borne diseases. Such a scope was in line with SDG 3 and SDG 6 of the United Nations where, by 2030, AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, water-borne, and communicable diseases are eradicated and adequate and equitable sanitation is achieved for all, with special attention to the needs of women and girls and people in vulnerable situations.

The Japan-ASEAN Online Program Towards SDGs is one of the activities under the MOU between AUN-SUN/SixERS Consortium which aims to facilitate cultural and academic exchange between students from AUN Member Universities and six Japanese universities under the SUN/SixERS Consortium.

The central cores of this year’s program are ‘excretion’ and ‘toilet,’ two topics that are crucial to the public hygiene, sanitation, and well-being of our society yet could still be considerably stigmatized. Over the four days of the virtual program, students were encouraged to practice their cross-cultural communication skills as they explored each culture’s perception and possible stigma regarding excretion and toilet use in a group project with friends from across ASEAN and Japan. Equipped with an understanding of the different perceptions of each culture on the topics, students embarked on a journey to re-think how our society manages public hygiene conditions and the toilet environment.

In a thought-provoking group brainstorming and activity session, students were assigned to design toilets and manage hygiene in a hypothetical resource-scarce setting of a deserted island, prompting them to showcase their creativity and consideration for issues that might arise in toilet installation and hygiene management in low-resource countries. Students were also urged to pay attention to members of society who might be particularly marginalized from accessing toilet facilities such as persons with disabilities, transgender people, sexual minorities, and more.

Throughout the four-day virtual program, the students were guided by respected faculties of Nagasaki University and Okayama University who provided them with lectures and lessons on the history and the structure of contemporary public hygiene and sanitation management.

The Japan-ASEAN Online Program Towards SDGs concluded with a presentation from each group on their own creative design and management of toilets and a fruitful Q&A session where students and faculties engaged with other aspects of the topics.

Learn more about other activities between AUN and SUN/SixERS Consortium at: