Professor Davide Ravasi, Director of UCL School of Management, joined UCL Professor David Alexander and Professor Joanna Faure Walker, Professor Hideaki Onodera, Specially Appointed Professorfor the Green Goals Initiative at Tohoku University, and Dr Miwako Kitamura, Tohoku University for a talk at the Embassy of Japan in Piccadilly, London.
The event commemorated the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, one of the most devastating natural disasters in Japan’s modern history, which resulted in more than 19,700 deaths, left over 6,000 people injured, and thousands still missing, while displacing hundreds of thousands of residents across northeastern Japan.
In his talk, Davide presented insights from his recent research on craft and cultural heritage, exploring how tradition and innovation can support disaster recovery and strengthen community resilience in Japan. He reminded us how craft, often overlooked in today’s increasingly digital world, can also play a powerful role in rebuilding communities following disasters such as the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, acting as a critical driver of social innovation and community resilience.
Davide also expressed his gratitude for the seed funding provided by Tohoku University and UCL, which supports eight collaborative research projects aimed at strengthening joint research and partnerships between the two institutions.
On behalf of UCL, we extend the invite to attend “Memories and Renewal: Fifteen Years After the Great East Japan Earthquake,” an exhibition hosted by the Japanese Embassy. This exhibition is a result of a close collaboration between the Embassy of Japan, UCL, and Tohoku University, highlighting the voices, memories, and forward-looking perspectives of communities still living with the aftermath of the 2011 disaster.
The exhibition features craft works created by communities who were forced to evacuate but continued their craft-making in temporary settings. It also showcases photographs by local photographers documenting these communities over the years, and technological innovations that arose in response to post-disaster challenges.
Exhibition details:
Venue: Embassy of Japan in the UK
Opening hours: 9:30am – 5:30pm
Closing date: 19 March (closed on Bank Holidays – please check the Embassy of Japan website)
Admission: Free (photo ID required)
