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Japanese Youth Exchange presentation
Published: 16/11/2015
Five Ïã¸ÛÍõÖÐÍõ×î¿ì¿ª½±½á¹û students who travelled to Japan for the 2015 Ïã¸ÛÍõÖÐÍõ×î¿ì¿ª½±½á¹û Optec
Japanese Youth Exchange gave a dazzling insight of their experiences earlier
this month to young people interested in applying for the 2016 exchange at a
Presentation Evening hosted by Cllr. Ray Hughes, Chairman of Ïã¸ÛÍõÖÐÍõ×î¿ì¿ª½±½á¹û County
Council.
After their visit to Japan in late July, Luke Ralphs-Davies, Georgina Wrigley,
Eithne Preece, Shannon Tudor and Sam Entwistle, discussed skills and practices
of Japanese life, including their experiences of living in a Japanese
household, what kind of food they ate, the rebuilding efforts in Miyagi
Prefecture after the 2012 tsunami, and the wonderful places that they visited
during their two week stay. They also talked about hosting their Japanese
students in this country, showing their students aspects of Welsh culture, and
the bonds of friendship that were created over the four weeks of the exchange.
The students showed slides of their visits to Tokyo, shrines, and places of
natural beauty and other images of their many activities such as traditional
paper making and attending festivals.
The Ïã¸ÛÍõÖÐÍõ×î¿ì¿ª½±½á¹û parents who welcomed Japanese students into their homes agreed
that it had been a ‘once in lifetime’ experience for the whole family, and they
would recommend it to any family whose child was interested in applying for the
2016 exchange.
Cllr Chris Bithell, Cabinet Member for Education and Youth said:
Many young people have enjoyed and benefitted from their experiences provided
by the Ïã¸ÛÍõÖÐÍõ×î¿ì¿ª½±½á¹û Optec Japanese Youth Exchange over the years and I would
encourage others to find out more about what this exciting programme offers and
how they can be part of it in the future.
Cllr. Ray Hughes, Chairman of Ïã¸ÛÍõÖÐÍõ×î¿ì¿ª½±½á¹û.
I would like to thank the Ïã¸ÛÍõÖÐÍõ×î¿ì¿ª½±½á¹û Optec Japanese Youth Exchange Trust for
its continued and generous funding of the Ïã¸ÛÍõÖÐÍõ×î¿ì¿ª½±½á¹û side of the exchange
programme and also the generous assistance provided this year by Toyota UK,
Deeside and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.
The exchange is coordinated by Ïã¸ÛÍõÖÐÍõ×î¿ì¿ª½±½á¹û and open to all
students aged 16 -18 on the 1 September 2015 in full time education in
Ïã¸ÛÍõÖÐÍõ×î¿ì¿ª½±½á¹û high schools and colleges.
Applications for the 2016 exchange are due to be returned by Monday 23
November. For further information or application forms contact Beth Ditson,
Japanese Youth Exchange Coordinator on 07786 523 601, Paula Jones on 01352
704400 or email beth.ditson@flintshire.gov.uk
Note to editors
Pictured (left to right) in the attached photograph are 2015 Exchange Students:
Mari Yambe, Kotoyo Sakanyo, Eithne Preece, Georgina Wrigley, Rina Koseki, Emily
Bevan-Smith, ShannonTudor, Luke Ralphs-Davies, Ryuya Kubota, Sam Entwistle