In a world filled with complex challenges, from geopolitical conflicts to economic uncertainty, it has become more crucial than ever to equip the next generation with the necessary skills to navigate and solve these issues. Traditional education, which often focuses on rote memorization, is no longer sufficient. We must instead instill a mindset that fosters empathy, innovation, and resilience. This is the fundamental principle behind the transformative power of Creative Thinking (CT) and Design Thinking (DT), a philosophy embodied by initiatives like the Kyotango Sea-Labo program. By integrating these methodologies with the practical, community-based approach of programs like Sea-Labo, we can provide a powerful framework for empowering Arab youth to become agents of positive change.
The Transformative Framework: Creative and Design Thinking
Creative Thinking allows individuals to approach problems from novel angles, generating innovative ideas that move beyond conventional solutions. When applied to conflict resolution, this skill helps young people to:
- See Beyond the Headlines: Instead of accepting a single narrative, they can imagine the multiple perspectives and human experiences underlying any conflict.
- Generate Alternative Solutions: They are not limited to traditional political or military options; they can pioneer innovative, non-violent, and community-based approaches to peace building.
- Cultivate Empathy: By imaginatively placing themselves in the shoes of those affected by the situation, they can develop a deeper understanding of the human cost and complexity of the scenario.
Design Thinking (DT) complements this creative process through a structured, human-centered approach to problem-solving. Its five core steps—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test—are directly applicable to understanding and addressing complex challenges. This process moves young people from theoretical understanding to practical action. They learn that failure is not a dead end but a launchpad for a better solution, which builds confidence and a sense of self-efficacy.
The “Sea-Labo” Initiative: The Kyotango Model of Empowerment and Partnership
The Kyotango Sea-Labo program, an educational initiative for junior and senior high school students in Kyotango City, Japan, serves as a powerful, real-world example of this framework in practice. The program is built on Design Thinking and the development of STEAM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). Its primary goals are to overcome the geographical constraints faced by the city through global and local partnerships, and fundamentally, to develop global leaders with creative and humanitarian mindsets.
Program Structure and Key Partnerships:
The program’s structure is a living example of Design Thinking in action. It spans three years and includes intensive, 6-day practical workshops covering all phases of Design Thinking: Empathy, Ideation, Prototyping, Testing, and Presentation. The workshops are not merely theoretical; they are designed based on the real needs of the local community.
The success of the initiative rests on strategic partnerships, which include prestigious global universities (such as Toronto, Stanford, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Keio, Kansai Gaidai, and Ritsumeikan) and a diverse array of local companies. A crucial pillar of this collaboration is the partnership with specialized non-profit organizations focused on STEAM education, notably the Sky-Labo foundation.
The role of Sea-Labo and Sky-Labo in Kyotango is defined by:
- Connecting Education with Real-World Experience: Students work directly with nine diverse local companies (from traditional crafts to advanced industries) to conduct interviews and understand human-centered innovation and community issues.
- Bilingual Education: The program is delivered in bilingual instruction (English and Japanese), supported by international university students.
- Academic Integration and Measurement: The program integrates pre- and post-workshop academic research to measure improvements in creativity, self-confidence, career awareness, and academic achievement in STEAM fields.
This integrated approach aims to build a replicable and scalable educational model within the school curriculum.
Empowering Arab Youth: Bridging Theory and Practice
The “Sea-Labo” model is highly adaptable and holds immense potential for empowering Arab youth. In a region often characterized by conflict and rapid social change, this approach can equip young people with the capacity to analyze local and regional conflicts with intelligence and creativity.
Here is how the “Sea-Labo” model can be adapted to support Arab youth:
- Human-Centered Conflict Analysis: Instead of studying conflicts as abstract geopolitical events, Arab youth can use the Empathy and Define phases to interview those affected by conflicts—refugees, displaced families, community leaders, and even former combatants. They can use empathy maps to understand the fears, hopes, and motivations of all parties, moving beyond simplistic narratives.
- Innovative Peace building Solutions: In the Ideation phase, groups can brainstorm non-conventional solutions. For a local conflict, this could be designing a mobile application to connect displaced families with job opportunities, creating a community garden as a neutral space for dialogue, or developing a digital storytelling project to share diverse human experiences.
- Practical Prototyping: The Prototyping and Testing phases are critical. Students can build low-resolution mock-ups of their ideas, like models for a dialogue space or storyboards for a film. They would then “test” these prototypes by seeking feedback from community members, learning to refine their solutions based on real-world input.
This approach transforms Arab youth from passive observers of their reality into active agents of positive change. By connecting them with local businesses, non-profit organizations (mirroring the Sky-Labo partnership), and universities, we can ensure their projects are not just academic exercises but viable, community-driven solutions. This fosters a mindset that is not only critical and analytical but also hopeful and proactive, shaping a generation of leaders ready to design a more peaceful and prosperous future for their communities.
Just as Kyotango aims to become a global model city for sustainable education and social innovation by integrating academic learning with community innovation and international exchange, this model can be replicated across the Arab world. By fostering a culture of Creative and Design Thinking, we can empower the next generation to be the engineers of their own future.
Dr. Hussein Zanaty, Japan October 4th, 2025
IGSDA- Innovative Education, Training and Creative Thinking Board of Experts
