JENESYS program sends Filipino youth to Japan

Through this program, youths from Southeast Asia are given the opportunity to visit Japan for nine days of cultural exchanges, lectures, hands-on training and immersion.

THE Filipino delegation listens intently during the pre-departure orientation.

Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) conducted a pre-departure orientation for two groups: Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) program participants: Young Diplomatic Exchange Program for Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Officers and Researchers and Nihongo and Japanese Culture Exchange Program for high school students at SPFL. The event was held on 21 October at the JICC Multipurpose Hall, Embassy of Japan.

During the program, Jenette Lozano from the Department of Education Youth Formation Division gave a congratulatory message while former JENESYS participant Martin Julius Perez and Jemimah Joan Villaroel shared their experience in Japan and advised new participants to cooperate well with their host families. After the ceremony proper, the participants interacted with each other and exchanged thoughts on Philippines-Japan relations.

Participants for the Diplomatic Exchange Program will visit Isahaya City, the host town for Filipino athletes for Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. They will also visit Nagasaki City to deepen their understanding of local Japanese culture. Their trip also includes the Second Southeast Asia Division of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where they will be cultivating ideas for enriching people-to-people exchange between Japan and the Philippines. Furthermore, the program incorporates various institution observations such as the Olympic Museum, Akihabara and various universities.

High school students will visit the rehabilitation area of the Great East Japan Earthquake in the Tohoku Region to learn about Disaster Risk Reduction Management and participate in an interaction session with Japanese university students. They will observe traditional and modern Japanese cultural activities to deepen their appreciation of the Japanese culture.

The JENESYS program was launched in 2007. Through this program, youths from Southeast Asia are given the opportunity to visit Japan for nine days of cultural exchanges, lectures, hands-on training and immersion. To date, over 4,000 young students and professionals from the Philippines have participated in the program.