Shimon Edelman, a professor of Psychology at Cornell University, spent three seasons at Kyoto University’s Institute for the Future of Human Society during his sabbatical. While he spent ample time enjoying the outdoors, he also began his upcoming book, Hope and the Dialectics of Freedom.

He shared that his time abroad “transformed what would have otherwise been a mere academic stint into an unforgettable lived experience.”

In a continuation of the acknowledgements of his book, Edelman expresses gratitude for Kyoto’s landscapes and wildlife that shaped his experience:

“My heartfelt thanks go to the city’s alleys and parks, the turtles in temple lotus pools, the herons working the broad Kamogawa and the bright Shirakawa, the small makeshift altars to Jizo Bosatsu or Inari Okami alongside hiking trails, and the chain of Higashiyama, from Fushimi in the south, through Daimonji and the tall Hieizan, to Kurama in the north.”

For Professor Edelman, offsetting his travel was a way to connect a transformative experience abroad with meaningful action at home. By supporting the Finger Lakes Climate Fund, as highlighted in the footnotes of his acknowledgements, his contribution helps advance renewable energy projects and climate solutions for members of his local community.

His story is a reminder that our appreciation for remarkable places, from Japan to the Finger Lakes, can inspire reciprocal care for our natural world. Through the Finger Lakes Climate Fund, travelers have an opportunity to turn that appreciation into local action, ensuring that the Finger Lakes region of today can continue to thrive for generations to come.