A delegation of nine Lao high school students and one supervisor are headed to Tokyo and Fukushima, Japan to participate in the ASEAN-Japan Sports x SDGs Exchange from 28 October to 4 November, as part of the JENESYS program.
Supported by the Government of Japan, the regional exchange program aims to improve human ties between Southeast Asia nations and Japan through the exchange of views as well as sports and cultural exchanges between members of the young generation.
The nine Lao students were selected in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos. Lao participants, together with those from other Southeast Asia countries, will attend a joint practice of football at the J Village, National Training Centre in Fukushima Prefecture, as well as an exchange with local high school students and football team.
In addition, these young people from Laos and the Southeast Asia countries can learn more about SDGs through attending interactive lectures, experiences, and exchanges while deepening their understanding of Japanese culture and society.
They are also expected to share their own experiences, learnings, and insights with wider audiences by utilizing tools including social networking services (SNS) during their stay in Japan and after returning home to Laos.
A youth-focused people-to-people exchange program between Japan and the Asia-Pacific region, JENESYS stands for Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths. More than 2,300 Lao young people have been to Japan for such exchanges since JENESYS’ establishment in 2007.
It is expected that these exchanges will continue to promote mutual trust and understanding among the younger generations to build strong foundations for long-term friendship and cooperation between Japan and Laos.
