Awards Ceremony for the 18th “Community Safety and Security Map Contest”

The submission period for the 18th Community Safety and Security Map Contest, organized by the Research Center for Disaster Mitigation of Historic Cities at Ritsumeikan University, closed on September 25. After a careful review process, the submitted works were evaluated and awards were given for the Grand Prize, Excellence Awards, Honorable Mentions, Selected Works, and Special Recognition prizes.

As first-time participants and sponsors this year, we were amazed by the sheer number of submissions.

Code for History prepared special supplementary prizes by converting the Grand Prize and Excellence Award-winning maps into Maplat projects. The children’s hand-drawn maps could then be displayed on smartphones and used as interactive digital maps in the real world.

The awards ceremony was held on Saturday, October 19, 2024, in the conference room on the first floor of Soshikan Hall at Ritsumeikan University’s Kinugasa Campus.

When we, the sponsoring organizations, entered the venue under the guidance of the faculty organizers, the award-winning students were already seated. The recipients had gathered from all across Japan for the ceremony. Some winners who were unable to attend in person even sent video messages instead — truly a sign of today’s elementary school generation.

At the back of the room, the winning works themselves were displayed. Every piece was impressive and filled with creative ideas and careful effort. Some projects reflected more than half a year of field research, and there were even students receiving awards for a second consecutive year.

Listening to the children explain why they created their maps and what challenges they faced during the process was deeply moving for me.

Photos and videos from the ceremony can be viewed on the official website below.

Scenes from the Awards Ceremony for the 18th Community Safety and Security Map Contest

立命館大学歴史都市防災研究所が主催する小学生を対象とした「みんなでつくる地域の安全安心マップコンテスト」は9月25日で応募が締め切られ、その後応募作品の中から厳正なる審査のうえ最優秀賞、優秀賞、入賞作品、入選、佳作が選定されました。今年から参加した我々は応募総数の多さに驚きました。

Code for Historyは、最優秀賞と優秀賞の作品をMaplatにしたものを副賞として進呈します。小学生の手作りマップをスマートホンの画面に表示し、実際に地図として使えるようにしました。

表彰式は2024年10月19日土曜日、立命館大学衣笠キャンパス創思館1階のカンファレンスルームでおこなわれました。我々、協賛企業が係の先生のご案内で会場に入ると、優秀そうな受賞者たちが既に席に着いています。受賞者のみなさんはこの表彰式のために全国から集まって来ました。当日会場に来られなくてビデオメッセージを送ってきた受賞者もいました。さすがいまどきの小学生です。後ろには受賞作品の現物が展示されています。それぞれ工夫のあとが見て取れる大作ばかりでした。中には半年以上も取材をした作品や、昨年に続く受賞作品もありました。各受賞者自身から「なぜこの地図を作ったか」「どんなところがたいへんだったか」などの発表を聞き、筆者はとても感動しました。

表彰式のようすは以下の公式サイトでご覧いただけます。
「第18回みんなでつくる地域の安全安心マップコンテスト」表彰式のようす