2009 Global Youth Exchange (GYE) Program
1. General Theme
International exchange through sports and the Olympic movement
2. Dates
17 August to 27 August, 2009
3. Venues
Tokyo, Yokohama and Nagano
4. Participants
18 participants from 16 countries
- Asia-Pacific: China, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Japan
- North/South America: Canada, Cuba
- Europe: Germany, Sweden, Russia, Slovenia, United Kingdom, Austria, Lithuania, Ireland
- Africa: South Africa
5. The Program
(1) Program Description
The participants from various world regions overcame linguistic and cultural barriers and engaged in intensive discussion and exchange of views. They also deepened their understanding of Japan's sports exchange programs through visits to sports-related facilities in the country.
(2) Lectures
To deepen their understanding regarding the general theme, the participants attended the lectures described below and actively exchanged views based on these lectures.
- (a) "International exchanges through sports and the Olympic movement" by Mr. Hisashi SANADA, Professor at the Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba
- (b) "Sports and youth education" by Ms. Kaori YAMAGUCHI, Associate Professor at the Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba
- (c) "Beach sports and the environment" by Ms. Ryoko TOKUNO, Director, Association for Beach Life Japan
- (d) "Anti-doping initiatives" by Mr. Shin ASAKAWA, Chief Executive Officer, Japan Anti-Doping Agency
- (e) "One School, One Country Program: an initiative originating from the Nagano Olympics" by Mr. Hiroji KOIDE, President, Nagano International Friendship Club
(3) Events in Local Communities
(a) Yokohama City
The participants attended the World Kids' Sports Summit in Yokohama on August 21 in an observer capacity. They took part in kids' discussions aimed at contributing to tackling environmental and peace issues by taking advantage of the spirit of fair play that has been fostered through sports.
(b) Nagano City
The participants visitedfacilities related to the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998 and thus had hands-on experience of Japan's Olympic heritage. In addition to visiting temples, they also experienced the food culture and natural environment of Nagano, deepening their understanding of Japanese culture.
(4) Farewell Reception
At the farewell reception, Mr. Kenjiro MONJI, Director-General of the Public Diplomacy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made a farewell speech. In his speech, he expressed his appreciation for the participants' proactive participation in various international exchange events, including discussions and visits. He expressed hope that the friendship and international network among the participants will develop further in the future.
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