Civilisation is not what is built from stone, but what is built within people. Factories are erected and towers rise, yet the human being is the foundation upon which every civilisation rests. When a person is built upon a firm system of values, respecting order, bearing responsibility, and doing good to others becomes spontaneous behaviour requiring no supervision — and that is where true civilisation begins.
Recently, I have found myself drawn to numerous widely shared scenes showcasing Japan's experience in building values, which show how children are raised from their earliest years to respect order, cooperate with others, bear responsibility, and preserve public property.
Although these scenes may appear to some as exceptional moments, they in fact reflect the product of an integrated educational system, and are not merely fleeting individual acts.
Perhaps the most prominent of those scenes is what we witness at many football matches and sporting events, where Japanese supporters take care to clean the stands after the events conclude — behaviour that has drawn the admiration of millions around the world.
Yet those familiar with the Japanese experience understand that this scene was not born of the moment; rather, it is a reflection of many long years of upbringing that made serving society and preserving public property a part of the individual's personal responsibility.
Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology indicates that moral education aims to instil respect for human dignity, a sense of responsibility, respect for others, and the preservation of the public interest, alongside strengthening belonging to society and the homeland. These are objectives presented not merely as theoretical lessons, but practised through school activities and daily life within the school premises.
For this reason, cleaning classrooms and corridors in many Japanese schools is not regarded as a service task, but as an educational activity that develops a spirit of responsibility, teamwork, and respect for one's environment. Educational guidelines affirm that these activities contribute to entrenching the value of work, enhancing the sense of social participation, and building a character capable of cooperation and respect for others.
Educational studies confirm that behaviour practised consistently during childhood does not remain mere instructions received by the child, but gradually transforms into a habit, then into a culture, and then becomes part of society's identity. True investment in civilisations therefore does not begin with the construction of buildings, but with the instilling of values that shape the human being capable of preserving and developing them.
The Japanese experience did not stop at allocating lessons for ethics; rather, moral education became part of the general educational philosophy, such that its objectives extend to various activities and practices within the school, contributing to character building, enhancing the sense of responsibility, and developing a spirit of cooperation and respect for society and the environment. The curricula have also undergone continuous review and development to keep pace with societal changes while preserving their constants.
All of this explains why so many who have visited Japan or dealt with its people are left in admiration. What captures attention is not merely the cleanliness of the streets or the discipline of individuals, but the harmony of daily behaviour with a deeply rooted system of values shaped over many long years of upbringing.
One should therefore not be surprised by the cleaning of stadiums and stands, nor by the respect shown to the elderly, nor by the preservation of public property — for these practices are no longer imposed duties, but have become part of society's culture and identity.
Invoking the Japanese experience does not mean that civilisation is the exclusive preserve of one nation over another. Every society has its own values, culture, and circumstances. However, the common denominator among all successful civilisational experiences is the early investment in the human being, and the entrenchment of values that refine behaviour, then build society, and ultimately create civilisation.
Civilisation is measured not only by what hands build, but by what upbringing instils in the soul. Buildings can be erected in years, but a human being is built only across generations.
Japan recognised that investing in the human being is the longest-lasting and most impactful investment, and so it made character and values the cornerstone of its renaissance, while preserving its national identity and remaining open to continuous development.
Perhaps this is what the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, summarised in his words: "The human being is the foundation of any civilisational process."