No.128 Encouragement for Students Participating in the International Exchange Program

This summer vacation, junior high school students from Inagi City participated in a homestay and international camp in the United States. On July 14, they visited the Mayor of Inagi City in the mayor's office.

So far, it has become a tradition for young people participating in the JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) dispatch program to visit just before their departure overseas, but this is the first time we are receiving a visit from students who are scheduled for homestay.

The students who came this time are junior high school students participating in the homestay and international camp of the international exchange program conducted by the Lab International Exchange Center, a public interest incorporated foundation.

This organization was established in 1973 as a foundation under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and after subsequent reforms of special corporations, it transitioned to a public interest foundation and is now a general foundation. It was established with the purpose of "promoting awareness of being a member of the world among various generations of the public, advancing international exchange activities for mutual friendship, and deepening understanding of other ethnicities, thereby contributing to peace between nations."

The destinations for the six junior high school students participating in the homestay are Maryland, Virginia, Iowa, Utah, Texas, and Tennessee, but the location of the international camp is one place in Oregon.

In the mayor's office, everyone seemed a bit nervous, but each person gave a speech in English expressing their enthusiasm for their trip to the United States, and I concluded with words of encouragement.

Additionally, it seems that homestay participants will have the opportunity to meet with the mayor of the host city, so I entrusted a letter I prepared for the mayor to each student. I would be happy if they could use this as a conversation starter and communicate energetically with the mayor of the host city.

By the way, Inagi City established its first overseas Sister City partnership with Foster City, California, USA on July 27th last year. It has been a year already, but it is unfortunate that actual human exchanges have not been realized due to the impact of COVID-19. However, I was very encouraged and pleased to learn this time that the children are actively spreading their wings overseas, regardless of such concerns.

Recently, it seems that Japan has been gradually falling from its position of actively disseminating information to the world and has become somewhat inward-looking.

Isn't it important for young people to have the ambition to aim for overseas in order for Japan to revive as a vibrant and shining country once again? I believe that what we adults can do for that is to promote the internationalization of our children.

This autumn, we are currently preparing to welcome a visiting delegation from Foster City, and we are planning a delegation from Inagi City to visit the United States next year.

Eventually, it would be nice to send children to Foster City through the Inagi City Sister Friendship City Exchange Association.