2001 Global Youth Exchange Program

February 21, 2001

The 2001 Global Youth Exchange Program (2001 GYE) will take place from 1 March to 13 March 2001, with 40 participants from 37 countries, including Japan, participating in a program entitled "Dialogue Among Civilizations - From a Century of Conflict to a Century of Co-existence."
During the period of the 2001 GYE Program, participants will visit Kyoto, Hiroshima and Hyogo Prefecture, where they will have the opportunity to experience Japanese history and culture, and in Hyogo prefecture exchange will be deepened with young people from the locality. It is then planned for the participants to assemble at the Awaji Yumebutai International Conference Center, where, after three days of intensive discussion on the program theme, a proposal will be created with the aim of handing it to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan.
On 12 March at the United Nations University in Tokyo, a public symposium will be held based on the results of the discussions held in Awaji Island, at which Dr. Masanori Aoyagi, a Professor of the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology of the University of Tokyo, will deliver the keynote speech. The proposal prepared by the participants on the 2001 GYE Program will be handed to the Rector of the United Nations University, Hans van Ginkel, to be delivered to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
The general theme of the 2001 GYE Program was chosen, based on the designation by the General Assembly of United Nations of 2001 as the Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations and Minister for Foreign Affairs Yohei Kono's stated determination in his foreign policy speech to the Diet to place importance on dialogue among civilizations.

For further information please contact:
Tomohiro Nakagaki
Exchange of Persons Division
Cultural Affairs Department
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ext. 3364

(END)

Back to Index