1999 Global Youth Exchange (GYE) Program
1. General theme :
"To Protect the Cultural and Natural Heritage of the World"
2. Date :
9 March-19 March 1999 (11 days)
3. Venues :
Tokyo, Kagoshima, Yakushima
4. Participants :
47 persons from 37 countries, including Japan.
Note: The figure inside the parentheses shows the number of participants from that country. No figure indicates one participant. India, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Cuba, Barbados, Brazil, Honduras, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Malta, Spain, Germany, Latvia, Hungary (2), Finland, Russia , Kazakhstan, Morocco, Uganda, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Niger, Lebanon, Japan (11)
5. Content of Program
(1) Discussions and public symposium
This year's program focused on the theme, "To Protect the Cultural and Natural Heritage of the World." First, three discussions were held in Kagoshima. Then, the public symposium was held in Tokyo on 18 March at the United Nations University to summarize these earlier sessions. The symposium enjoyed the participation of Dr. Takeshi Nakagawa, Professor, Waseda University Department of Architecture/Leader of Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor (JSA), as keynote speaker.
A) Discussions in Kagoshima (14-16 March)
The participants listened to lecturers speak on the theme of each session and broke up into five groups for discussions.
(i) Session 1: What are Cultural and Natural Heritage?
Lecturer: Dr. Nobuko Inaba, Senior Specialist for Cultural Properties at the Agency for Cultural Affairs
The view that the protection of cultural and natural heritage should be perpetuated not only for the sake of future generations but for the survival of humankind itself, provided that protection and preservation be carried out so as to involve the local communities which are home to such heritage, was expressed frequently. On the question of the definition of heritage, some participants advocated a broad interpretation which covers the numerous heritage that symbolize each country's identity, while others felt that a more pointed definition which avoids political implications should be adopted.
(ii) Session 2: The Present Situation and Issues Concerning the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage Being Undertaken in Nations around the World
Lecturer: Mr. Yusaku Oyama, Director of the Yakushima Wild Plants Research Institute
In discussion groups, participants active at actual heritage sites in their own countries expressed views on a variety of issues, including: heritage protection and development; insufficiency of funds for protection; lack of awareness of heritage on the part of some ordinary people; stances of national governments toward heritage protection and preservation; systemic issues in the execution of policy decisions by national governments; and management issues concerning protection and preservation. Participants also offered ways to deal with issues, including carrying out education on heritage, heritage-related tax incentives for the people, and having national governments designate their own heritage sites in their own countries which should be protected.
(iii) Session 3: International Cooperation toward Protecting and Preserving Cultural and Natural Heritage
Lecturer: Dr. Natarajan Ishwaran, Senior Programme Specialist for Natural Heritage, UNESCO World Heritage Centre
All groups discussed the importance of international cooperation in the protection and preservation of heritage. Among the views voiced were the need to teach awareness of protection and preservation of heritage, and the necessity to carry out cooperation in providing management expertise, technology and funds regarding environmental issues, the prevention of illegal transactions involving cultural property or heritage and other global issues in a way that sufficiently considers these issues. Also mentioned were the view that more balance is needed in UNESCO's World Heritage List, which tends to be slanted toward Europe, and the need for future efforts regarding the protection of intangible heritage.
B) Public Symposium (18 March, at the United Nations University)
Dr. Takeshi Nakagawa used slides of restoration and preservation activities at the Angkor complex in his keynote address, which focused on the theme of this year's program. The ensuing panel discussion was moderated by Mr. Noboru Noguchi, Director of the UNESCO Beijing Office and centered around seven participants selected as panelists (from Mexico, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Uganda, Nepal and Honduras).
(2) Local visits and exchanges
(A) Local visits (Tokyo, Yakushima and Kagoshima)
(i) In Tokyo, participants visited the Edo-Tokyo Museum, Imperial Palace, Sensoji Temple and the Ariake Incineration Plant of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. On the way back from the Ariake Incineration Plant, participants rode the new Yurikamome monorail line.
(ii) In Yakushima, at the Yakushima Island Environmental Cultural Village Center, participants heard a description of the nature on Yakushima by the Yakushima Island Environmental Cultural Foundation. The following day, they visited the Seibu Rindo Forest Path, which is located within the area inscribed on the World Heritage List.
(iii) In Kagoshima, after visiting the Reimeikan, a museum of Kagoshima history and culture which focuses on the Satsuma Clan, the participants saw the Shimazu family villa and Iso Gardens.
B) Exchanges in Yakushima and Kagoshima
(i) A reception attended by approximately 60 Yakushima Islanders was co-hosted by the Second Cultural Affairs Division, Kamiyaku Town and Yaku Town. During the reception, a traditional Taiko drum performance was given by junior high school students from Yakushima Island and they also performed a traditional dance. There were many opportunities for foreign participants to interact with the local people and deepen the bonds of friendship. At one point, foreign participants joined their Japanese friends in playing the Taiko drums.
(ii) Approximately 50 Kagoshima residents attended a reception hosted by the Second Cultural Affairs Division and the Kagoshima Prefectural Government. At the reception, a traditional dance of the Kyushu region was performed. Afterward, the bonds of friendship were further deepened as a veritable song festival ensued, with Kagoshimans and participants offering up their own impromptu renditions.
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