ILEC received a generous donation of 1,227,498 yen through the “Smile Plus” social contribution deposit from Kinki Rokin (Kinki Labour Bank) on June 12, 2026. The “Smile Plus” social contribution deposit supports the activities of non-profit organizations and community groups in the Kinki region working in such fields as child support, disaster relief and disaster preparedness, international cooperation, support for people with disabilities, support for women and minorities, and environmental conservation. ILEC has been selected as a recipient organization in the fields of “international cooperation” and “environmental conservation.” We sincerely appreciate their understanding of ILEC’s mission and their generous contribution.

This donation will be meaningfully used to support the operation of an event to be jointly organized by ILEC and Shiga Prefecture on World Lake Day, a United Nations commemorative day, on August 27, 2026, at AEON Mall Kusatsu in Shiga Prefecture.

The event will feature a session aimed at fostering the next generation of leaders in the field of sustainable lake management. Young people from Japan, Africa, which will host the 21st World Lake Conference in 2027, and Asian countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia will be connected online to share their activities related to lake conservation and to engage in active exchange and discussion.