To Okinawa ? Supporting the Exchange of the Youths of Asia

Japanese

The next morning after returning from Fukushima, I took a flight to Okinawa.

It was to participate in the final day of “Asian Youth Developing Program in Okinawa (AYDPO) ” (“Asian Youth Exchange Program in Okinawa(AYEPO)” has changed its name in 2011). As I have reported to you in my past postings (Ref.1, 2) young people from Asia aged from 14 to 16 gather in Okinawa to spend 3 weeks together.

Since I have been supporting this program from the time of its planning, I have been to Okinawa almost every year for this event. This year I participated in the final day. From such event lots of young people with wonderful future networks will emerge. Participants and university student tutors from the past programs are connected via Facebook, and at every time of this year, they share their memories which they cherish as the most enjoyable time together. Since many of them have already started their careers in a variety of fields, it would be interesting to see what will happen. The network has grown to become a circle of more than 400 people as of this year.

Their presentations on the final day, and also the process of its preparation is a moving experience each year. Please watch and enjoy. “Water issues” are brought up annually for some time now.

After the presentations, I delivered a Closing Lecture “Uncertain Times Ahead; New leadership”. My point overlapped with my keynote lecture which I have touched upon in my previous posting “Harvard-Liberal Arts Without Borders”. Please click here to view my presentation on the web. (It starts from 1:31:51)

Lots of people who supported the event joined with the young participants at the reception that followed and had a wonderful time together.

I would very much like to see more events such as this expand.

According to the weather forecast a big typhoon is expected to hit Okinawa by tomorrow, so I took an evening flight back to Tokyo.