South Asian Youth Invitation Program 2003

From 29th of August to 9th of September 2003, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan invited 39 youths from seven South Asian countries; Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Through the following events of the program, participants had great opportunities to exchange views with local students and citizens as well as to cultivate and deepen their understanding of Japan.

1. Japan and South Asia Youth Forum

This Youth Forum was the highlight of the entire program, in which 39 South Asian participants and 29 Japanese participants held lively discussions for three days based on a general theme "Strengthening Peace and Stability in the World -scopes for co-operation between Japan and South Asia), and sub themes; "Politics, Diplomacy and Security", "Economics and Development" and "Society and Culture". On the first day, Professor Takenori Horimoto of Shobi Gakuin University delivered a key-note address to provide the participants with some ideas and possibilities of future co-operation between South Asia and Japan. The participants held discussions in six groups on one particular sub-theme before drafting proposal. On the third day, each group made a presentation on their draft proposal, after which the participants adopted the Proposal of Japan and South Asia Youth Forum [PDF] .

2. Reception

Mr. Kodama, Deputy-Director General, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau hosted a reception for the 39 youths from South Asia, Japanese youth from the Youth forum, members of diplomatic crops in Tokyo as well as academics specializing in South Asia. Following the opening speech by Deputy Director-General, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, KODAMA, participants from South Asia also delivered speeches, in which they introduced their countries and expressed their expectation from Japan. The event reached a climax when the South Asian participants performed their local songs and dances.

3. Audience by T.I.H Prince and Princess Akishino

The audience by T.I.H Prince and Princess Akishino was a great experience for the South Asian participants. T.I.H. Prince and Princess Akishino held gentle conversation with the participants in English on various topics such as the Youth Forum, impressions of Tokyo as well as South Asian culture and climate. The participants were impressed with the gentle personality of T.I.H Prince and Princess.

4. Visits (Tokyo, Hiroshima and Kyoto)

In Tokyo, participants had great opportunity to explore the industrial and traditional aspects of Japan by visiting a number of places, including Tokyo Tower, waste disposal center, Edo-Tokyo Museum, National Museum of Engineering Science and Innovation as well as Asakusa. In Hiroshima, they visited the Peace Memorial Museum and held had a lecture talk by an atomic bomb victim, who gave the participants a precious opportunity to think about peace and nuclear issues. Participants stayed overnight with Japanese families in Hiroshima, which proved to be a precious experience. In Kyoto, participants visited Njyojyo-castle, Kiyomizu-temple and experienced Yuzen style-dying.

5. The participant's impressions and Opinions.

Overall, the participants felt that this Invitation Program was extremely useful in understanding Japan. After having seen disastrous exhibition in Peace Memorial Museum, some participants felt that the world should abandon nuclear weapons under any conditions. In the Japan and South Asia Youth Forum, both youths from Japan and South Asia exchanged opinions from different perspective and one participant from India mentioned that this proved to be a valuable opportunity for participants from India and Pakistan to change opinions.

6. After word

Thanks to the support and cooperation of many people South Asian Youth Invitation Program 2003 was a great success. The support and cooperation of the host families in Hiroshima and young Japanese participants of the Youth Forum need particularly mentioning. We sincerely hope that the participants from South Asia will contribute to the further promotion of Japan-South Asia relations with the assets of the experience and personal relations they established during the program.