Islamabad : Nine Pakistani students have been selected to visit Japan next month under a youth exchange programme.
They will go to the largest Island country in East Asia along with a supervisor to "learn and deepen their understanding of Japan’s cutting-edge high technologies, economy, and society, and experience Japan’s traditional culture by participating in various lectures and visits," according to Japan's embassy in Islamabad.
The students including five enrolled in the COMSATS University's Abbottabad campus for undergraduate courses and four in the Westminster Academy Islamabad for secondary education will stay in Japan from Feb 1 to 7 on the invitation of the government of Japan under the Japan-SAARC Network Programme of People–to–People Exchange.
The youth exchange programme between Japan and the Asia Pacific region was launched by the Japanese government to "reaffirm and strengthen mutual trust and understanding among the people of Japan and participating countries." Under it, participants from SAARC countries will get opportunities during their stay in Japan to learn and deepen further their understanding of Japan’s cutting-edge high technologies, economy, and society and also experience Japan’s traditional culture by participating in various lectures and visits, the embassy said.
A pre-departure orientation session was organised by the embassy for the students to give them the necessary information about the programme and travel documents. Japanese ambassador Wada Mitsuhiro, who was also present, congratulated the students on their selection for the youth exchange programme and said it would be a lifetime opportunity for young minds to learn more about Japan.
He said the exchange of people, especially the youth, was probably the most productive and fruitful way to further deepen relations between countries.
Expressing his best wishes, the ambassador said he hoped that the Pakistani students, besides fostering friendships with the Japanese youth, would also find ample opportunities to learn and enjoy the life, culture and historical heritage of Japan during their stay in the country.
He said under the JENESYS 2022 programme, this year, 70 high school and undergraduate students from SAARC countries would visit Japan as guests of the Japanese government.