This talk introduces a student-led initiative from the Furuhashi Lab at Aoyama Gakuin University in Japan, focusing on the localization of global open mapping knowledge. As a YouthMappers chapter, we are currently translating the open-access book Open Mapping towards Sustainable Development Goals into Japanese. The aim of this translation project is to make critical mapping knowledge accessible to non-English-speaking students and to encourage greater participation in the open mapping community.

Recognizing the importance of engaging peers through action, we organized our first online Mapathon in early 2025. This event helped beginner mappers gain hands-on experience and fostered a sense of community among participants. Building on its success, we are now planning a collaborative inter-university Mapathon scheduled for July 2025, with the goal of expanding our network and impact across academic institutions in Japan.

In this talk, we will share insights from managing the translation workflow, including how we divided chapters, ensured consistency in technical vocabulary, and utilized collaborative tools such as GitHub for version control. We will also reflect on our outreach efforts—how we communicated the value of open mapping to our peers and engaged them in both the translation and mapping processes.

Through this project, we aim to empower students with the knowledge and tools needed to contribute to global development goals through geospatial technologies. Ultimately, our initiative highlights the potential of youth-driven efforts to strengthen open mapping education and build inclusive communities, even in regions where English is not the primary language.