INTRODUCTION

The Moon Village Association (MVA), created in 2017 is a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Vienna, Austria. The goal of the MVA is the creation of an informal global forum for governments, industry, academia and the public interested in the Moon Village vision – a community fostering permanent human expansion to Earth’s Moon. It comprises more than 600 participants in MVA activities and 33 institutional members from more than 60 countries, representing a diverse array of technical, scientific, cultural and interdisciplinary fields. More information regarding the MVA may be found at: https://moonvillageassociation.org.

Each year, the Moon Village Association (MVA) organizes a major international event — a workshop and symposium (WS&S) at which global leaders in various fields relevant to humanity’s permanent expansion to Earth’s Moon gather to share progress, new ideas and relevant information. This year, the MVA’s 2023 WS&S will be in Kurashiki and Tottori, Japan during December 7-10, 2023. The Kurashiki Art Museum will act as the Main Venue for the MVA 2023 WS&S, while the Tottori University Arid Land Research Center will be the Optional Venue for the WS&S in Tottori. For more information about the location of the venues, how to access them, and recommended accommodation, please see the Access & Accommodation page.

 

Themes

The 7th International Moon Village Workshop & Symposium will presents various issues for the growth of human society on the Moon, discussing on-going and planned Moon programs.

  • Lunar Programs and Missions
  • Lunar Architectural Concepts & Issues
  • Space Resources, Mining & Utilization
  • Habitation, Human Factors & Life Science
  • Lunar Commerce, including Moon Markets, Missions & Economics
  • Lunar Infrastructure and Operations, emphasizing Power
  • Lunar Science, including both Human Presence and/or Precursors
  • Legal Aspects & Societal Considerations
  • Cultural & Anthropological Considerations
  • Outreach/Education
  • Lunar Governance, International Policy and Collaboration

 

Main venue

The Kurashiki City Art Museum will be the main venue for the MVA 2023 Workshop and Symposium and it is located within the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter. Other facilities are located close by and will be used for some of the break out sessions.

 

Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

This townscape is known for the characteristically Japanese white walls of its residences and the willow trees lining the banks of the Kurashiki River, which passes through it. The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter earned recognition as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. In the 1600s, Kurashiki prospered as an integral destination for the transportation of goods. Nowadays, the area continues to offer the historically attractive atmosphere of a calm and harmonious life.

 

Optional venue

The “Special Symposium” will be held at the Arid Land Research Center in Tottori-city.
The Tottori Sand Dunes, a famous sightseeing spot, are located close to the Arid Land Research Center. Participants will be able to visit the Tottori Sand Dunes during the site tour event.

 

Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University

The Arid Land Research Center is located on the west side of the Tottori Sand Dunes. The approximately 1-square-kilometer site provides an excellent research environment including a research building, various analytical instruments, and equipment for reproducing the weather conditions experienced in arid climate zones. There are also sandy experimental fields and planted forests and meadows with protected marine plant ecosystems. Furthermore, an exhibition room introduces the results of past research.

 

Tottori Sand Dunes

The Tottori Sand Dunes are a nationally designated Natural Monument, located in the eastern part of Tottori Prefecture. They are one of the largest coastal dunes in Japan, stretching 16 kilometers from east to west and 2.4 kilometers from north to south. For over 100,000 years, the dunes have been shaped by sand deposits carried by wind and ocean currents from the Sea of Japan. Recently, the Tottori local government announced plans to utilize the Tottori Sand Dunes as experimental fields for lunar developments, due to the similarities between the Moon’s surface and the dunes.