2025 Invitation Program from Middle East and North Africa Region

1. Overview

From February 20 (Thu.) to 26 (Wed.), The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan invited a total of six people from the Middle East and North Africa to participate in the “Invitation Program from Middle East and North Africa Region”. The purpose of this program is to promote understanding of Japan by exposing the participants to various aspects of Japan, such as its foreign policy, society, history, and culture. In addition, from the viewpoint of strengthening Japan’s relations with the Middle East and North Africa region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has been conducting this program every year since 2015 to promote exchanges with experts and Japanese experts, as well as to promote understanding of Japan.

2. Participants

Six experts and others from Middle East and North Africa Region (Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, Jordan, Tunisia, and Yemen)

3. Outcomes

Courtesy Call on Special Envoy Uemura

Joint Reception hosted by Director General Ando

The participants paid courtesy call on Special Envoy to the Middle East Mr. Uemura and visited the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, where they exchanged views on each other's society and history, comparing Japan and the Middle East region. They also attended a reception hosted by Director General of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau Mr. Ando, and exchanged views with Japanese experts and other guests. This reception was held jointly with The Eighth Dialogue on Countering Violent Extremism in the Middle East, which was being held at the same time.

Flower offering to the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims

Visiting to Shunkoin in Myoshinji Temple

The participants visited Hiroshima, Kyoto, and Osaka from February 23(Sun.) to 26(Wed.). In Hiroshima, they visited the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, had a discussion with Chairperson of the Foundation Mr. Kagawa, and visited the Cenotaph of the Atomic Bomb Victims, to offer flowers. In Kyoto, they visited Shunkoin in Myoshinji Temple, where they had an interreligious dialogue with Head Priest Mr. Kawakami. They also experienced traditional Japanese craft of kyo-kumihimo.

After the program, the participants commented that they learned a wide range of aspects of Japanese society, politics, and culture, from the past to the present day, which is usually difficult to get to know in their home country, and that their understanding of Japan was enhanced. Through the visit to the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the participants commented that they studied the importance of not to take revenge for violence, but to move forward and strive to prevent a repeat of the tragedy of the war.

Middle East